With many of them unsure of their next career move, staffers at the privately owned, Stabroek News, shared hugs and tears today after being informed that the newspaper will close all of its operations from the 15th March, 2026.
For almost 40 years, Stabroek News has served as the newspaper of record in Guyana, but with a changing media landscape and dwindling advertising dollars, the Directors of the company decided to turn the page and fold the operations of the company.
At the Robb Street location today, moments after wrapping up a meeting with management, News Source caught up with Senior Journalists, Samantha Alleyne-Williams and Marcelle Fowler.
According to Ms. Alleyne-Williams, today was her day off but it has turned out to be a day that has left her speechless and uncertain.
“I came to Stabroek News at the age of 19 and I am still here, almost three decades later, and while I knew that one day this would have come to an end, I never imagined that it would have been this abrupt. I learned so much working as a journalist at Stabroek News, I was taught so much. I became a professional here and just to tell you the truth, I am still processing all of this. I have shed some tears and I know there are more tears to come and it is just very difficult”, she said.
The newspaper currently has 60 full time employees in addition to contracted workers and vendors. The toll of the closure of the newspaper on their lives is certain.
Senior Journalist, Marcelle Fowler, said Stabroek News has been an important voice as an independent media entity in Guyana. She admitted that while she is a bit worried about her own future, she is more worried about the many young journalists at the newspaper, who were now getting grounded in their journalism career.
She said “I think I am prepared for any eventuality but then you have persons who you don’t know their situation, because we have a lot of young staff members here and some of them are crying, and I empathize with them because they are looking to know what is the next move for them. I just want to encourage them to hold their faith in God, knowing that he didn’t bring you this far to just leave you”.
Fowler said one cannot ignore the changing media landscape with readers increasingly turning their attention to social media and the online spaces for their news and news updates.
She said it is now for the rest of the media to pick up where Stabroek News is leaving.
“Going forward, it is left to be seen what else is going to happen. The burden to bare is will now be on the media fraternity to preserve the standards that Stabroek News has had and and carry that forth without fear or favour”, Fowler said.
For Alleyne-Williams, she can’t stop worrying about the impact the closure of the newspaper will have on her younger colleagues.
“The financial climate that we are living in right now, people are living paycheck to paycheck, and just to be suddenly told that in another month’s time, you don’t have a job, you can just imagine the kaleidoscope of emotions that is going through their minds. People have loans, because you can’t exist without loans in this country and you can’t get certain things without loans, and so I really feel for them and I feel for myself too”, she said.
The Board of the newspaper has already informed the staff members that it will meet all of its obligations in ensuring their severance and other benefits are fully paid.
The workers said while there may be persons who will be celebrating the closure of the independent newspaper, those persons should also realise the real impact the closure will have on the lives of many as well as the local media landscape.
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