March 6, 2026
This is Part 2 of a two-part series on the evolution of Vernon’s newspapers.
By the mid-1990s, Vernon’s newspaper landscape was changing rapidly.
In June 1996, The Sun was launched by Gary Johnston and Wayne Porter as a locally owned publication. It promised to be “bold, but not brash; confident, but not cocky.” Renamed Sun Review in 1999, it ceased publishing in September 2001 due to financial difficulties.
In 1999, Horizon Publications Inc. launched The Vernon Times, positioning it as a competitor within the Okanagan market. At the time, nearby papers such as the Kelowna Capital News were owned by Hollinger International, a large publicly traded newspaper company.
What was not widely known to readers was that Horizon was privately owned in part by senior Hollinger executives, including Conrad Black and David Radler. In effect, a publication marketed as competition was linked to the same leadership overseeing Hollinger’s holdings.
In the early 2000s, investigations revealed that certain Hollinger executives had engaged in self-dealing transactions involving the sale of community newspapers. These transactions allegedly transferred value from the public company to private interests connected to its executives. The matter led to lawsuits, criminal charges in the United States, and significant corporate restructuring.
It’s important to note that the misconduct examined in court happened entirely at the executive and corporate level. Local journalists in Vernon, many of whom were running small, short-lived papers and simply trying to serve their community, bore the brunt of the confusion and instability. There is no indication that these newsroom staff were involved in or aware of the executive-level financial dealings.
Conrad Black was later convicted in the United States in 2007 on fraud and obstruction of justice charges. In 2019, he was granted a presidential pardon by Donald Trump.
The Vernon Times ceased publication in the early 2000s amid broader industry consolidation. In 2005, the Vernon Courier launched under the Okanagan Valley Newspaper Group, publisher of Kelowna’s Daily Courier, during a period marked by intense competition and shifting ownership patterns. It continued publication for only about a year.
Today, much of Vernon’s local journalism has moved online, with platforms such as Castanet continuing the role of providing daily community coverage.
The history of Vernon’s newspapers reflects more than headlines and ownership changes. It reveals the evolving relationship between local communities and the wider forces—political, economic, and corporate—that shape how news is produced and shared.
Archives Manager, Gwyneth Evans