Calais Walmart Manager Ronnie McLain. (Social media photo)

Calais Walmart Removes Local Newspapers

This story has since been updated since publication date: https://www.calais.news/calais-walmart-places-local-newspapers-customer-...

Jayna Smith
[email protected]

After years of The Calais Advertiser available for purchase at Calais Walmart, the retail giant is now refusing to carry the local publication.

At last Wednesday morning’s delivery of the publication, the newspaper’s distributor was informed by store manager Ronnie McLain that it would no longer allow the sale of local newspapers.  

The newsstand, which for years was located at the front of the store, had been removed.

A telephone call to the Calais Walmart on Monday resulted in no resolution.  

“Anytime I am talking to the press, I am required to direct you to media relations,” McLain told publisher Pierre Little.
Little, speaking on behalf of his business as a vendor of the store, requested information surrounding McLain’s decision to remove the newsstand from the store.

“Any media inquiries have to be sent to media relations,” McLain repeated.

Little went on to explain to the manager the importance of community members being able to easily and conveniently acquire their hometown news.  “This is a very tight knit community and we all care for each other, including all the businesses in this community.  The newspaper is a vital link for communicating amongst all residents in the community,” he said.

“The Walmart newsstand is probably our best newsstands and we sell a lot of newspapers at your newsstand.  Somehow, someone made a decision…that it was not in the interest of the store to remove the local newspapers.”

Again, McLain was unable to provide any details surrounding the decision, stating, “I am not allowed to speak for Walmart.  I have to direct any media inquiries to media relations."

McLain would not disclose to Little who ultimately made the decision to stop carrying local publications, only stating he had no comment and Little would have to call media relations in Arkansas.  

“I’m not giving you any information whatsoever…have no comment…I have to send you to media relations,” McLain repeated.

Attempts were made to contact Media Relations at Walmart Corporate for resolution before press time but all numbers redirect you to their online webform and it was not functional.  https://corporate.walmart.com/contact-us/contact-media-relations

 

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