Two stars align: Yukon Star launches as Whitehorse Star closes its doors

As the Whitehorse Star newspaper prepares to close its doors this week, a new publication is already gearing up to take its place.

A new paper, called the Yukon Star, will begin operations next week.

It will be primarily online, but there will be a weekly print version.

Max Fraser is leading the new publication as publisher.

"We need more journalism, not less," said Fraser. "My main concern was the state of journalism in the Yukon."

Fraser initially tried to buy the Whitehorse Star and launched a fundraising effort called Save the Star.

It stalled after the owners said they didn't need saving and didn't want to sell.

"I wish it had been otherwise but people made certain decisions and that's the way it is," said Fraser. "I'm just dealing with the situation."

Last month Michelle Pierce, the current owner of Whitehorse Star, expressed frustration at Fraser for what she called a lack of communication.

"We felt there was a lot of confusion in the community, people asking what's going on thinking we were behind it or supporting it, which we're not," said Pierce. "We didn't have faith in their model to be successful."

Forced to pivot, Fraser calls this his backup plan.

"At the outset of the fundraising campaign I said there was a plan A and a plan B," said Fraser.. "Plan A was to purchase the Star if the owners were willing, so now we're looking at plan B."

Fraser had been working with three others to try and purchase the Whitehorse Star.

That group is made up of a retired journalist, a business operator and a dentist.