Bay State Banner sold to Black-owned group that plans to expand

By adamg on Wed, 03/01/2023 - 10:22am

Bay State Banner owner Mel Miller announced today he's sold the paper he's run for 57 years to a group headed by WBZ-TV video journalist Ron Mitchell and documentary filmmaker Andre Stark.

The new owners of the paper, which covers Boston's Black community, say they will add regional editions for Connecticut, Rhode Island and "north of Massachusetts" and will add video and news livestreaming to its Web site.

Former Globe and GBH editor Ken Cooper will help oversee the expansion.

Miller's nephew, Yawu, who has long written for and edited the Banner, will stay on to manage the Banner's Boston coverage.

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Comments

57 Years!

By Residente on Wed, 03/01/2023 - 12:04pm.

That's amazing!! - I'd love to see a documentary about Mr. Miller and his newspaper. Congrats to the new owners, I wish you well.

Melvin Miller wrote a book

By dvg on Wed, 03/01/2023 - 1:21pm.

Boston legend Melvin Miller wrote a partially autobiographical book about himself and the paper a few years ago. For anyone who is interested in Boston history, it's a worthwhile read.

https://www.amazon.com/Bostons-Banner-Years-1965-Success/dp/1480862525

I'll second that. The Banner

By Don't Panic on Thu, 03/02/2023 - 12:27am.

I'll second that. The Banner is a Boston Institution! Bring on the documentary Mr. documentary maker.

" North of Boston"= Northern New England

By Jay on Wed, 03/01/2023 - 12:41pm.

Quote from Ronald Mitchell (new owner) himself: https://www.baystatebanner.com/2023/03/01/a-new-beginning/

"We will expand news coverage into the five other states in New England, ultimately producing three regional editions for Rhode Island, Connecticut and a combined one for the states north of Massachusetts- New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. We will bulk up the Banner’s website with short videos to accompany stories. We aim to attract more digital advertising, in different forms, to support our expanded coverage.
We look forward to serving current Banner readers and broadening the newspaper’s audience and impact."

For Black New Englanders there are basically three divisions in practicality:

-MA and RI

-CT

-Northern New England

or just Southern New England and Northern New England.

Most of us don't interact with Northern New England in the same way White New Englanders do. Requires a lot less coverage. This is tremendous for the city and the region. The Bay State Banner does an excellent job.

Glad Yawu is staying on!

By SomervilleSteve on Wed, 03/01/2023 - 7:08pm.

The Banner is a crucial journalistic resource for Boston. Yawu is dynamic & incisive. We’re lucky to have him, and lucky the Banner will be on sound financial footing.

I hope they keep the

By Don't Panic on Thu, 03/02/2023 - 12:29am.

I hope they keep the cartoonist that does the panel for the editorials.