Mar 02 2009
The Day The First Informer Died
On March 3rd, 1985, the local newspaper, The First Informer, sent out its first edition of the Magdalen Islands news in the English language. This little newspaper thrived in the small community of Grosse Ile, and had a circulation of about 600 subscriptions in the year 2003.
The paper, approximately 12 pages in length, let the people of the islands know what was happening in their community and also let family who had left the islands, know how their family and friends were doing.
Each week the paper would relate approximately seven news worthy stories, at least one historical tale or legend, an environmental activity, the historical event of the day, births, weddings, obituaries, classifieds, school events and church schedules, all had their corners in the little paper.
The paper had anywhere from three to seven people working, at any given time. It created employment for many of the community’s population, including sending students off to college and university with a few extra dollars in their pockets.
Due to serious mis-management, The First Informer closed its doors in May, 2007. It stopped printing the paper, leaving it’s customers without their paid subscriptions. It ended up heavily in debt and became an economical disaster. Presently the English-speaking community of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine has no newspaper to report what is happening on the islands and with family on and off the islands.
It was the end of an era, that sad day the First Informer died.
