The Western Star was a weekly newspaper published for 206 years, from February 13, 1807, to January 17, 2013. It had been the oldest weekly newspaper in Ohio, second oldest of any sort in Ohio after the daily Chillicothe Gazette, and the oldest paper bearing its original name published west of the Appalachian Mountains until it ceased publication with its January 17, 2013 printed edition. It had been published on Thursdays by Cox Media Group Ohio, the communications company founded by former Ohio Governor James Middleton Cox. Its coverage area was primarily Lebanon and southern Warren County.[1][2]
The Western Star for most of its history was a paid-circulation paper and became a free saturation paper in the early 2000s. The paper, based in Lebanon, Ohio for more than 200 years, closed its Lebanon office in 2010 as part of a consolidation of Cox Media Group Ohio's weekly newspaper facilities to Liberty Township, Butler County, Ohio.[3][4]
In November, 2012, Cox Media Group announced in a letter to advertisers that the paper would be combined with other Cox weeklies the Pulse-Journal and the Fairfield Echo into "The Pulse of Warren County" and "The Pulse of Butler County" beginning with the January 20, 2013 print editions. According to CMG, these are "two brand new weekly newspapers delivered to communities currently served by The Western Star, Fairfield Echo, and The Pulse-Journal" and "The Pulse county news editions will replace The Western Star." Subsequently, company representatives announced that the papers would be branded "Today's Pulse of Warren County, a product of The Western Star" and "Today's Pulse of Butler County, a product of the Fairfield Echo." An article (FAQ) on the Cox weeklies' websites during the week of January 13, 2013 stated, "The final issues of The Western Star, Fairfield Echo and the Pulse-Journal editions was on Thursday, January 17, 2013."[5][6]
- ^ "Cox shutters Ohio's oldest weekly newspaper - Springboro Sun | Springboro, OH | Covering the communities of Springboro, Clearcreek Township, Franklin, Carlisle, and Lebanon - Springboro, OH". Archived from the original on 2014-02-18. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
- ^ "Lebanon Chamber of Commerce | Cox Media Group Announces". Archived from the original on 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
- ^ "Cox shutters Ohio's oldest weekly newspaper - Springboro Sun | Springboro, OH | Covering the communities of Springboro, Clearcreek Township, Franklin, Carlisle, and Lebanon - Springboro, OH". Archived from the original on 2014-02-18. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
- ^ "Lebanon Chamber of Commerce | Cox Media Group Announces". Archived from the original on 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
- ^ "Cox shutters Ohio's oldest weekly newspaper - Springboro Sun | Springboro, OH | Covering the communities of Springboro, Clearcreek Township, Franklin, Carlisle, and Lebanon - Springboro, OH". Archived from the original on 2014-02-18. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
- ^ "Lebanon Chamber of Commerce | Cox Media Group Announces". Archived from the original on 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2013-03-28.