{{short description|Digital newspaper in Maine, U.S.}} {{for|the film about Martin A. Armstrong|The Forecaster (film){{!}}''The Forecaster'' (film)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = The Forecaster | logo = The Forecaster logo, monochrome version.svg | logo_alt = A monochrome logo of ''The Forcaster'', with a horn extending from the left side, passing through the word "the" above the "o" in the word "Forecaster", and stopping before the "R" in the latter word, which is of the same height as the "F". | image = Northern Forecaster.jpg | caption = 2023 cover page of ''The Northern Forecaster'' | type = Digital newspaper | owners = Maine Trust for Local News | founded = 1986 (as the ''Falmouth Forecaster'') | language = English | headquarters = Falmouth, Maine, U.S. | website = {{URL|https://www.pressherald.com/forecaster/|PressHerald.com}} }}
'''''The Forecaster''''' is a regional newspaper in southern Maine that is published in a digital format. Originally published weekly and distributed for free, ''The Forecaster'' is now a digital paper available through the website of the ''Portland Press Herald''.
==History== The ''Falmouth Forecaster'' was launched in Falmouth, Maine, in 1986, as the first of what became multiple editions of the ''Forecaster''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mehlsak |first=Mo |date=July 27, 2017 |title=This news whole is greater than its parts |url=https://www.pressherald.com/2017/07/27/this-news-whole-is-greater-than-its-parts/ |access-date=2025-07-02 |work=Portland Press Herald}}</ref>
In 2012, ''The Forecaster'' announced a partnership with the ''Bangor Daily News'' in which they would collaborate on news-gathering and publish stories across the websites of both newspapers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-07-25 |title=The Forecaster and Bangor Daily News announce collaboration |url=https://www.pressherald.com/2012/07/25/the-forecaster-and-bangor-daily-news-announce-collaboration/ |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Portland Press Herald}}</ref>
Formerly owned by MaineToday Media,<ref>{{cite news |date=July 11, 2023 |title=Nonprofit to buy more than 20 newspapers in Maine including Portland Press Herald |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/me/maine/business/2023/07/11/nonprofit-to-buy-more-than-20-newspapers-in-maine-including-portland-press-herald |work=Spectrum News |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> the paper and its editions were sold to the Maine Trust for Local News in August 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ohm |first=Rachel |date=August 1, 2023 |title=Sale of Maine newspapers to national nonprofit is finalized |url=https://www.pressherald.com/2023/08/01/sale-of-maine-newspapers-to-national-nonprofit-is-finalized/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |work=Portland Press Herald |language=en-US}}</ref> In March 2025, the paper's owners announced all ''Forecaster'' papers would cease printing and become digital only.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Russell |first=Eric |date=2025-03-04 |title=Maine Trust for Local News will reduce some print editions, lay off workers |url=https://www.pressherald.com/2025/03/04/maine-trust-for-local-news-will-reduce-print-shift-distribution-of-some-newspapers/ |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=Portland Press Herald}}</ref> No reporting positions were cut during the process,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-15 |title=Forecaster bids farewell to print, embraces digital future to enhance news coverage |url=https://wgme.com/news/arc-maine/forecaster-bids-farewell-to-print-embraces-digital-future-to-enhance-news-coverage |access-date=2025-07-02 |website= |publisher=CBS 13 News |language=en}}</ref> which came during a series of layoffs within the Maine Trust.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Kathleen |date=2025-03-04 |title=Maine Trust for Local News to layoff 49 employees and reduce print publications |url=http://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/03/04/business/maine-trust-for-local-news-layoffs-print-publishing-reduction/ |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Bangor Daily News |language=en-US}}</ref>
Following the change, only two editions remain available on the PressHerald.com website: the Portland and Northern editions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Forecaster |url=https://www.pressherald.com/forecaster |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Portland Press Herald}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McCrea |first=Nick |date=2025-03-27 |title=Southern Maine ePapers debut as digital news products |url=https://www.centralmaine.com/2025/03/27/southern-maine-epapers-debut-as-digital-news-products/ |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel}}</ref> The former webpage of ''The Southern Forecaster'' refers readers to the ''Scarborough Leader'' and ''South Portland Sentry'' (weekly papers operated by the trust's Mainely Media network),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Southern Forecaster |url=https://www.pressherald.com/forecaster/southern-forecaster |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Portland Press Herald}}</ref> while ''The Coastal Journal Edition Forecaster'' now redirects readers to ''The Times Record'' for Midcoast Maine news.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Coastal Journal |url=https://www.pressherald.com/forecaster/coastal-journal |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Portland Press Herald}}</ref> The remaining ''Forecasters'' are no longer free to read, as digital content by the ''Portland Press Herald'' requires a subscription to access.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Subscription Plans |url=https://www.pressherald.com/subscription-plans/ |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Portland Press Herald}}</ref>
==Editions== It published several different editions, collectively known as ''The Forecasters'',<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-11 |title=Masthead Maine to offer one-stop ad buying |url=https://www.ellsworthamerican.com/news/business/masthead-maine-to-offer-one-stop-ad-buying/article_873e0d62-3776-53b0-850b-05e3a51f31a1.html |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=The Ellsworth American |language=en}}</ref> including:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Weekly Newspapers |url=https://www.pressherald.com/weekly-newspapers/ |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Portland Press Herald}}</ref> * ''The'' ''Portland Forecaster'', covering the city of Portland; * ''The'' ''Northern Forecaster'', covering the towns north of Portland (Falmouth, Cumberland, North Yarmouth, Yarmouth, Freeport and Chebeague); * ''The'' ''Southern Forecaster'', covering the towns south of Portland (South Portland, Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth); * and ''The'' ''Coastal Journal Edition Forecaster'', covering towns farther east along the coast, including Brunswick, Topsham, Bath and Harpswell.
The ''Mid-Coast Forecaster'' was aimed at the same towns as what is now the ''Coastal Journal Edition'', but was merged with the ''Coastal Journal'' in 2019 to form the ''Coastal Journal Edition Forecaster''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.pressherald.com/2019/03/01/a-new-beginning-for-the-forecaster-coastal-journal/|title=A new beginning for The Forecaster, Coastal Journal|work=Portland Press Herald|date=March 1, 2019|first=Mo|last=Mehlsak}}</ref>
The ''Southern Forecaster'' and ''Coastal Journal Edition Forecaster'' were discontinued amid layoffs and cuts to editions of newspapers owned by the Maine Trust for Local News (see {{section link||History}} above).
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|https://www.pressherald.com/forecaster/}}
{{MaineToday}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forecaster, The}} Category:Newspapers published in Portland, Maine Category:Weekly newspapers published in the United States Category:Newspapers established in 1986 Category:1986 establishments in Maine Category:2023 mergers and acquisitions
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