About Us

The little Northern paper that could

In 1960, Ken Shortt’s dream of running a newspaper that everyone in the Yukon would want to read came true when the Yukon News (née Advertiser) started rolling off the presses. The weekly paper struggled to survive, competing with the Whitehorse Star, a fixture in Whitehorse since 1900. But Shortt’s hard work and his teaming up five years later with Dave Robertson eventually turned the thriving weekly into a daily. In 1965, the Yukon News expanded to become the North’s first daily newspaper since 1906. Time magazine took note.

The Yukon Daily News failed to survive the pace of five weekly printings and switched back to a weekly paper several years later. Shortt, again running things alone, was exhausted, and so decided to sell to a conglomeration of businessmen. They never quite got the knack of things and Shortt used his savings to rescue the paper. He ran for it a few more years before he finally found a buyer — his old pal, Robertson.

So simple, it worked

Robertson’s simple business philosophy was to give Yukoners some good journalism to read. It worked. In 1986, circulation surpassed that of the Whitehorse Star for the first time.

Robertson’s approach continued under his son Stephen, who bought the paper in 1989 at the age of 26, after spending more than a decade learning the business. Advertisement sales and staff more than doubled and, under Stephen’s direction, a distinct philanthropic personality emerged. Yukon News remains especially dedicated to Whitehorse Food Bank, United Way Society of the Yukon, Adopt a Family, Yukon Learn and Yukon Arts Centre.

Today, the Yukon News is distributed for free to all of the Yukon’s 13 disparate communities outside of Whitehorse, reaching a potential readership of all Yukon’s 31,000 residents. Total circulation on Fridays is 8,000-weekly over 17,000 in total for the 3 editions.

Excellence that endures

The Yukon News’ solid reputation for quality writing and investigative work persists. Year after year, the News carries home awards both regionally and nationally for its excellence in journalism, photography, editorials, editorial cartoons and graphic art. High caliber young journalists are attracted to it for its rarity as an independently-owned newspaper with an owner who is hands-off in the editorial department and editors who strive for distinction. Stephen Robertson continues to run the business side of his newspaper with vision. “Our goal is to continue to improve our service to the community,” says Robertson.

Recent Awards

The Yukon News is not only the most widely read newspaper in the territory it is also the territory’s most awarded paper. Year after year, the News succeeds in defending its place as one of Canada’s highest ranking community newspapers. Our top notch team of journalists, photographers and graphic artists make it the most intriguing and eye-catching read around, and the most popular local medium for advertising

2009 Better Newspaper Competition

(Canadian Community Newspaper Association)

• Best Arts Coverage of the Arts
• Best Rural Reporting, second prize, Genesee Keevil and Jeremy Warren
• Outstanding Reporter Initiative, third prize, Genesee Keevil
• Best National Editorial, first prize, Richard Mostyn
• Best Local Cartoon, first prize, Wyatt Tremblay
• Best Photo Essay, first prize, Chris Colbourne
• Best Sports Photo, first prize, Mike Thomas

2009 Ma Murray Community Newspaper Awards

(British Columbia and Yukon Newspaper Association)

• Arts & Culture writing, silver, Genesee Keevil
• Sports Photo, gold, Ian Stewart
• Sports Photo, silver, Chris Colbourne
• Environmental Writing, silver, John Thompson
• Feature Photo, gold, Mike Thomas
• Sports Photo, gold, Mike Thomas
• Investigative Journalism, silver, Genesee Keevil
• Photo Essay, silver, Chris Colbourne

Sponsored by the Yukon News

Adopt-a-Family (Kinettes)
Blue Feather Youth Society
Bringing Youth Towards Equality
Festival of Trees (Yukon Hospital Corp.)
Guild
Humane Society
Main Street Society
Nakai Theatre
United Way Society of the Yukon
Relay for Life (Canadian Cancer Society)
Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce
Whitehorse Food Bank
Yukon Arts Centre
Yukon Learn
Yukon Literacy Coalition
Yukon Science Institute
Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous
Yukon Special Olympics
Yukon Status of Women Council