Citizen Newspaper ends historical run in publishing
In a year when The Citizen newspaper should have been popping champagne corks to celebrate being in business for 75 years, the paper instead ceased publication two weeks ago.
The paper officially closed on April 20.
The publisher, Dan Medow, told media outlets that the slumping economy took a toll on advertisers and subsequently, advertising revenue for the newspaper. Medow took over publication of The Citizen two years ago. The paper was originally owned by the Joseph Kargol family, who owned it until 2002.
That’s when Mike Wilcox of Wilcox Enterprizes purchased the paper. He owned it for five years.
Wilcox also publishes The Clare County Review in upstate Michigan. Wilcox has returned to Hamtramck and launched a new community weekly newspaper here called The Hamtramck Review.
The Citizen’s closing occurred at a time when many newspapers locally and nationally are abruptly shutting down. Readership and advertising revenue for newspapers has been declining for decades.
The Detroit Free Press and Detroit News now only offer home delivery three days a week. Most readers now go to the Internet to get their local news, where it is available for free.
Analysts say the Internet has deeply eroded what readership has remained of traditional hard copy versions of newspapers.
In the past year The Citizen had created a website, which is still online at hamtramckcitizen.com. Whether anyone purchases the name of The Citizen and attempts to resurrect the paper remains to be seen.
I am writing to congratulate you on getting the first issue of The Review out and to wish you the best of luck.
I needed to look no further than your front page story about American Axle to be reminded of the need for viable community journalism.
The piece quotes AA CEO Richard Dauch, recipient of a bonus of $8 million – $16,000 in deductible health care payments for each of the 500 people he now wants to throw out of work – for leading the company into its very worst year while finding time to destroy employee morale. He estimates that it’s the American workers with the, “entitlement mentality.”
Clearly Mr. Dauch’s mind is on a planet other than Earth, but more importantly his poorly chosen words are revealed throughout Hamtramck because of the existence of a community weekly.
Keep up the good work.
Ron Barat
Wow, I didn’t know the Citizen was gone. . My family has deep roots in Hamtramck and although most of us have moved away, I still care about the city and always interested in what’s happening there. Thanks for providing The Hamtramck Review.
Brian
HHS Class of 1998
That’s class of 1988…:-)
ALTHOUGH I LEFT HAMTRAMCK MORE THAT 60 YEARS AGO TO JOIN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY IN CALIFORNIA, I FELT A PANG OF SADNESS WHEN I READ THAT THE CITIZEN HAD FOLDED. MY PARENTS HAD A STORE ON JOS. CAMPAU AND IT WAS ALWAYS A MOMENTARY DELIGHT WHEN THE PAPER WAS DROPPED OFF. I EVEN HAD A FEW “LETTERS TO THE EDITOR” PUBLISHED WHEN I ATTENDED HAMTRAMCK HIGH SCHOOL.
I THOUGHT OF VISITING THE CITY JUST TO TASTE THE KIELBASA AT THE
KOWALSKI DELI AND TO EAT A PACZEK AT THE WARSAW BAKERY BUT I GOOGLED JOS CAMPAU AND COULDN’T FIND EVEN ONE STORE THAT I REMEMBER. IN FACT, THE BUILDING WITH OUR STORE DOESN’T EVEN EXIST. I WLL SAY “HELLO” TO ALL MY CLASSMATES!
ED RUSINEK
HHS CLASS OF 1944/UM CLASS OF 1951