Carrboro Citizen may return

A familiar face might soon return to the streets of Carrboro.

A group looking to revive The Carrboro Citizen has begun the process to bring the paper back as a nonprofit print news journal — an unusual business model.

After five and a half years, the Citizen — which was Carrboro’s only local newspaper — ceased publication in October when efforts to sell the paper proved unsuccessful.

The group, Friends of the Citizen, has also formed a preliminary board of directors for the nonprofit paper.

Jock Lauterer, a senior lecturer in the UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication, said the group’s primary goal is to establish a locally owned and run newspaper for Carrboro.

He said the group is hoping to get money for the paper from donors, foundations, advertisers and grants.

He said Friends of the Citizen has also spoken with former publisher Robert Dickson to obtain the rights to call the new publication “The Carrboro Citizen.”

“The name means something,” Lauterer said.

Dickson said he thinks a nonprofit is a good idea for the newspaper, especially since it serves a small community where there’s not enough commercial activity to support it.

“I think it would possibly be a model for other small communities,” he said. “It’s hard to start a subscription-based paper these days.”

Dickson said he would not be actively involved in the revival of the paper.

“I’m not going to give a lot of my time,” he said. “I would be willing to perhaps on some basis … consult with them if they desired.”

Carrboro residents and Citizen employees said they were disappointed to hear about the paper’s October disbandment.

Connie Cohn, spokeswoman for Friends of the Citizen, said she joined the group because she wants to see the newspaper come back.

“I think it’s one more way to make a really diverse and friendly community,” she said. “We’re a great place to live.”

She said she liked reading local news in the Citizen that was not covered in other publications.
“It would mean I could read the Ken Moore ‘Flora’ column again,” she said.

Mary Sonis, a former guest columnist for The Carrboro Citizen, said the paper was unique because of its homegrown nature.

“It had a very local and sweet feel to it,” she said.

“The Citizen was really kind of special.”

But Lauterer said that while the newspaper will bear the same name, it isn’t meant to copy the work Dickson did.

“Carrboro is such a unique community,” he said. “It should have a unique community newspaper.”
He said the paper was different because it didn’t just talk about the town — it talked with the town.

“We miss a friend, and we want our friend back, Lauterer said.

Contact the desk editor at city@dailytarheel.com.