Isle of Man Courier

The Isle of Man Courier is a free weekly newspaper on the Isle of Man.It is owned by Isle of Man Newspapers (now part of Johnston Press) and its sister newspapers are the "Isle of Man Examiner" and the "Manx Independent".

History

The "Isle of Man Courier" can trace its roots back to the "Ramsey Courier", which began in the nineteenth century. The paper dropped the "Ramsey" part of its title and moved to Ridgeway Street, Douglas, in the 1970s. Its sister newspaper, "Mona's Herald", closed in the same decade. Next the newspaper was taken over by another Courier, the "Halifax Courier", and was printed in Yorkshire for some time.

The "Isle of Man Courier" became a free, delivered newspaper in 1981. The company made the decision after complaining that the Isle of Man Government was starving it of advertising by favouring the "Isle of Man Examiner" and its sister papers, the "Isle of Man Weekly Times" and the "Manx Star". After a strike killed off the "Examiner", "Isle of Man Times", "Manx Star" and "Isle of Man Gazette" in 1987, the Courier Group bought the titles and the "Examiner"'s premises in Hill Street, Douglas.

This meant the "Courier" could print on the island again. The Courier Group relaunched the "Isle of Man Examiner" in competition with the "Manx Independent", which was started by journalists who had been sacked during the "Examiner" group strike.

The Isle of Man Courier Group was renamed Isle of Man Newspapers a few years after it absorbed the "Examiner". The "Manx Independent" folded in 1993 and was bought by Isle of Man Newspapers and relaunched as a weekly newspaper.