Since June 2017 this newspaper has received three price increases totaling $167 metric/ton from our Canadian newsprint supplier.
This newspaper, along with other Alaskan publishers, purchases their newsprint from Canadian manufacturers because there are not enough U.S. paper mills to meet the demands of the newspaper industry.
The Trump administration has levied a 22% tariff on newsprint imported from Canada based upon the complaint of a single paper mill (North Pacific Paper Company) that is accusing Canadian mills of engaging in dumping tactics and relying on government subsidies.
This is impacting community newspapers like ours that produce local news, advertising and other content that Wrangell and Petersburg relies on.
Market forces, not trade practices, are responsible for the harm to U.S. paper producers.
Readers erroneously often believe that newsprint is no longer necessary. However, U.S. community newspaper publishers cannot support digital versions of their newspapers without a printed newspaper. The hard copy advertising and readership provides more than 90 percent of the revenue that enables the digital newspaper to exist.
In other words, without print, there is no online news from the local newspaper.
Putting the financial pinch on small newspapers like ours will not bring another U.S. newsprint mill into existence.
The federal government should realize that the reduced demand for newsprint is brought about by internet competition, not by unfair trade with Canada. The National Newspaper Association believes tariffs will cause job losses at U.S. newspapers. Tariffs on Canadian paper will not help U.S. paper producers.
That may be why the industry organization for U.S. paper producers, the American Forest and Paper Association does not support NORPAC’s case.
In the meantime, the harm to newspapers has already begun.
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