Seaside Courier (of Encinitas) bites the dust

Another attempt to bring local independent news in the form of a print newspaper failed at Encinitas as the 2-year-old Seaside Courier announced that’s all folks, quietly fading into the dust bin of history last month.

Thomas K. Arnold, who also has contributed stories to The Escondido Grapevine reported the news to another Grapevine friend Roman Koenig, who worked with us at North County Times and now helms North Coast Current, founded in 2002 and covering Encintas.

By agreement, The Escondido Grapevine and North Coast Current share content on special occasion. Probably next to go bust: Valley Center and Escondido Roadrunner, owned and operated by non-journalists.

— Dan Weisman

Seaside Courier, a local print newspaper, is on hiatus as its staff decides the paper’s future.

The monthly publication — which served coastal North County — did not print a December issue, and has no plans to print a January issue, according to T.K. Arnold, the paper’s lead contributing writer.

The publication’s website continues being updated periodically, Arnold said. The most recent online article was published on Dec. 28.

“The Courier has been closed down in terms of its publication since mid-December,” said Alice Jacobson, the newspaper’s owner and publisher.

Jacobson cited revenue problems and lack of advertising as the primary reasons that the paper has ceased print operations. Local businesses have to be particular with their advertising dollars, and may have found alternatives online and on social media, she added.

“Basically, Alice ran out of money,” Arnold said.

As of this report, the Courier’s social media properties were also down, but Jacobson said they’re only temporarily so.

While the paper’s future in print is uncertain, Arnold said he is keeping the website alive until the staff can gauge whether there is enough interest to continue publishing — in an online format or otherwise.

Jacobson bought the Seaside Courier in August 2014 from Mission Publishing Group, according to a Seaside Courier story. The Courier was founded in December 2013 by former San Diego City Councilman Jim Madaffer, who owned several newspapers under Mission Publishing Group at the time.

— Mike Peterson, North County freelance writer, North Coast Current

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This article was printed at the Seaside Courier on Aug. 8, 2014 announcing the “new” publication.

Longtime Encinitas resident Alice Jacobsen out the Seaside courier in motion, but lacked any journalism experience or expertise.

Mission Publishing Group today announced the sale of Seaside Courier to Encinitas resident Alice Jacobson.

“We’re very proud of the successes Seaside Courier had in a short amount of time,” said Jim Madaffer, publisher of Mission Publishing Group. “We’re confident that community leader Alice Jacobson will continue to provide quality local news to residents.”

Seaside Courier was launched in December 2013 and covers San Diego County’s north coastal cities and communities including Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach and Del Mar.

The newspaper currently has a monthly readership of 95,000 and is the only newspaper that is directly mailed to residents in Encinitas and Carlsbad. The newspaper can also be found at 200 high-traffic newsstand locations in the region.

Jacobson, a 33-year resident of Encinitas, is highly involved in the community. In the past, she served on the Leucadia Community Advisory Board and the city’s Environmental Commission and the Planning Commission. She currently serves on the Coastal Community Foundation’s board of directors.

Jacobson plans to increase coverage and readership with the purchase of Seaside Courier.

“Buying the Seaside Courier and being the publisher is probably the most challenging thing I have ever done,” Jacobson said. “I am excited to continue Seaside Courier’s efforts of being the voice of the community.”

Jacobson is joined by Maggie Avants, a longtime journalist, who will serve as editor.

The sale includes the newspaper’s news site, SeasideCourier.com.