More than 18 years after the Eureka Springs Times-Echo last appeared in print, the local newspaper is back.
Carroll County Community Media LLC is relaunching the Times-Echo this week. The Times-Echo was published from 1894 to 2005, according to research on the topic. The last previous issue of the paper was dated March 29, 2005. In that issue, the top story announced that the Times-Echo was being merged with the Star-Tribune, the newspaper that served the eastern half of Carroll County, into a new paper called the Carroll County News. Both the Times-Echo and the Star-Tribune were owned at the time by Rust Communications, based in Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Rust later purchased the Lovely County Citizen in Eureka Springs and published both the Carroll County News and the Citizen for several years before selling both papers to New Jersey-based CherryRoad Media in early 2022.
Carroll County Community Media LLC purchased the Carroll County News and the Lovely County Citizen from CherryRoad Media effective Jan. 1, 2023. The company is a partnership between longtime Carroll County News and Lovely County Citizen managing editor Scott Loftis, photographer David Bell and Steve Johnson, a former advertising representative for the Carroll County News who is also the former executive director of the Greater Berryville Area Chamber of Commerce.
The new owners halted print publication of the Citizen in January, citing declining advertising revenue. The Citizen was converted to an online-only format, but Loftis said the decision was a difficult one.
“I’ve always wanted to have a newspaper in Eureka Springs that people can actually pick up and hold in their hands,” said Loftis, who serves as editor and publisher for the Carroll County News and now will add those same duties with the Times-Echo. “I know David and Steve felt the same way, and we weren’t the only ones. The community made that clear.”
At the same time, Loftis said the partners didn’t simply want to start printing the Citizen again.
“We wanted to do something a little different,” he said. “One of the criticisms of the Citizen in recent years was that we had gone too far in the direction of hard news without balancing that out with features and community coverage. That criticism wasn’t unfair. So we wanted to make a clean start with a publication that shows the kind of balance and comprehensive coverage that folks in Eureka Springs want to see. We want to connect with the community, and when the idea of relaunching the Times-Echo came up, we couldn’t think of a better way to make that connection.”
Johnson said he is thrilled that the Times-Echo is returning.
“It’s exciting to celebrate the rebirth of a valuable member of our community: the local newspaper,” Johnson said. “In a world where technology dominates our lives, the return of The Eureka Springs Times-Echo might seem like a small event. But for a town like Eureka Springs, which is steeped in history, this newspaper always delivered vital connections between its citizens, businesses, and events for over a century. I’m glad to see this grand old lady return to inform, unite and strengthen our whole community.”
Bell shared similar thoughts.
“To breathe new life into an iconic publication is in some ways more exciting than starting a new one,” he said. “The Times-Echo’s long, storied history gives us a goal to aim for and in Eureka Springs there are lots of stories to be told and news to be discovered.”
Loftis said the Times-Echo won’t shy away from hard news, but it also will include stories on local nonprofits, school activities, sports and other features. The popular Wisecrack Zodiac column written by Beth Bartlett will be featured in the Times-Echo, along with a weekly book review.
“We also want to have listings of live entertainment at local businesses,” he said. “If you have a business that features live entertainment, please let us know.”
Loftis encouraged the community to support the newspaper by sharing news items and also by purchasing display and classified advertising.
“We want this to be a newspaper the community can be proud of and we hope folks will help us in that effort,” he said.
To share news items or to advertise, contact Loftis at 870-423-6636 or SLoftis@CarrollCoNews.com.
