The Citizen (Laconia)
Encyclopedia
The Citizen is a six day a week, morning daily newspaper in Laconia, New Hampshire
, USA, the largest local paper serving the Lakes Region
of that state. It has been owned since 1991 by Geo. J. Foster Company
, publisher of Foster's Daily Democrat
in Dover, New Hampshire
.
In the late 1990s, the Foster Company launched Foster's Sunday Citizen as a joint venture by Foster's Daily Democrat and The Citizen, neither of which previously had a Sunday edition.
The Citizen was formerly an afternoon paper called the Laconia Evening Citizen. It was owned by Lawrence J. Smith and Alma Gallagher Smith until the Foster Company took over, May 10, 1991.
In November 2006, The Citizen converted to morning publication; its sister paper in Dover followed a year later. The company made the change in order to compete with nearby papers such as the New Hampshire Union Leader
and the Concord Monitor
.
The Saturday newspapers feature a "local" section. In that section is the History section, a look back at Laconia from 125, 100, 75, 50, 25, and 10 years ago with articles from local newspapers of that time, as well as an old photograph of an area in Laconia (including Weirs Beach
and Lakeport
) with a description below it, then a current picture of the same area with an updated description. This interesting and unique section is written by Warren Huse.
The sale is formally in place as of Saturday, June 26.
The Foster family purchased The Citizen in 1991 from the Smith/Gallagher family, which founded the Laconia newspaper in 1925. During the Foster's tenure they added a Sunday product and citizen.com for expanded coverage. The paper was also recognized with the prestigious Nackey S. Loeb First Amendment Award for championing the pursuit of the truth during their ownership and several times was named New England Newspaper of the Year by the New England Newspaper Association.
The new owners publish a number of newspapers in Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont, including the daily Eagle-Times in Claremont.
"We are thrilled that Patty and the Foster family have chosen us to continue the tradition of superb local journalism they have provided to the Laconia market and are looking forward to participating in the continued growth of the Lakes Region," commented Chris P. Miles, a partner in Eagle Printing and Publishing.
Geo. J. Foster Co. Inc., will continue to print The Citizen and Laconia edition of The Sunday Citizen for the next three months.
In an announcement Tuesday, Foster said the sale is a bittersweet moment for her family.
"We've considered it a privilege providing local news to Lakes Region residents and would like to think we have had a positive influence on the communities we have served."
Laconia, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,411 people, 6,724 households, and 4,168 families residing in the city. The population density was 809.3 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 421.8 per square mile...
, USA, the largest local paper serving the Lakes Region
Lakes Region (New Hampshire)
The Lakes Region of New Hampshire is the mid-state region surrounding Lake Winnipesaukee, Winnisquam Lake, Squam Lake, and Newfound Lake.The area is a popular tourist destination in the summer time, with the activity peaking during the annual Motorcycle Week and races at Loudon's New Hampshire...
of that state. It has been owned since 1991 by Geo. J. Foster Company
Geo. J. Foster Company
The Geo. J. Foster Company, also known as the George J. Foster Company, is a private company based in Dover, New Hampshire.The longtime publisher of Foster's Daily Democrat, a daily newspaper based in Dover and covering the Seacoast Region of New Hampshire, Foster owned The Citizen of Laconia, New...
, publisher of Foster's Daily Democrat
Foster's Daily Democrat
Foster's Daily Democrat is a six-day morning broadsheet newspaper published in Dover, New Hampshire, USA, covering southeast New Hampshire and southwest Maine...
in Dover, New Hampshire
Dover, New Hampshire
Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, in the United States of America. The population was 29,987 at the 2010 census, the largest in the New Hampshire Seacoast region...
.
In the late 1990s, the Foster Company launched Foster's Sunday Citizen as a joint venture by Foster's Daily Democrat and The Citizen, neither of which previously had a Sunday edition.
The Citizen was formerly an afternoon paper called the Laconia Evening Citizen. It was owned by Lawrence J. Smith and Alma Gallagher Smith until the Foster Company took over, May 10, 1991.
In November 2006, The Citizen converted to morning publication; its sister paper in Dover followed a year later. The company made the change in order to compete with nearby papers such as the New Hampshire Union Leader
New Hampshire Union Leader
The New Hampshire Union Leader is the daily newspaper of Manchester, the largest city in the state of New Hampshire. As of September 2010 it had a daily circulation of 48,342 and the circulation of its Sunday paper, the New Hampshire Sunday News, was 63,991. It was founded in 1863.It was called...
and the Concord Monitor
Concord Monitor
The Concord Monitor is the daily newspaper for Concord, the state capital of New Hampshire. It also covers substantial portions of surrounding Merrimack and Belknap counties in New Hampshire's Lakes Region...
.
The Saturday newspapers feature a "local" section. In that section is the History section, a look back at Laconia from 125, 100, 75, 50, 25, and 10 years ago with articles from local newspapers of that time, as well as an old photograph of an area in Laconia (including Weirs Beach
Weirs Beach, New Hampshire
Weirs Beach is a village within the city of Laconia in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. It is located on the southern shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. The cruise ship Mount Washington terminates there...
and Lakeport
Lakeport, New Hampshire
Lakeport is a village in the city of Laconia in Belknap County, New Hampshire, in the United States. The village is centered around a power dam on the short river channel between Paugus Bay to the north, and Opechee Bay to the south...
) with a description below it, then a current picture of the same area with an updated description. This interesting and unique section is written by Warren Huse.
Sale of the paper
On June 23, 2010, Patrice D. Foster, president and publisher of George J. Foster Co. Inc, announced the sale of Citizen Publishing, publishers of The Citizen in Laconia, to Eagle Publishing with offices in Claremont.The sale is formally in place as of Saturday, June 26.
The Foster family purchased The Citizen in 1991 from the Smith/Gallagher family, which founded the Laconia newspaper in 1925. During the Foster's tenure they added a Sunday product and citizen.com for expanded coverage. The paper was also recognized with the prestigious Nackey S. Loeb First Amendment Award for championing the pursuit of the truth during their ownership and several times was named New England Newspaper of the Year by the New England Newspaper Association.
The new owners publish a number of newspapers in Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont, including the daily Eagle-Times in Claremont.
"We are thrilled that Patty and the Foster family have chosen us to continue the tradition of superb local journalism they have provided to the Laconia market and are looking forward to participating in the continued growth of the Lakes Region," commented Chris P. Miles, a partner in Eagle Printing and Publishing.
Geo. J. Foster Co. Inc., will continue to print The Citizen and Laconia edition of The Sunday Citizen for the next three months.
In an announcement Tuesday, Foster said the sale is a bittersweet moment for her family.
"We've considered it a privilege providing local news to Lakes Region residents and would like to think we have had a positive influence on the communities we have served."