By Kristy Basolo
Senior Editor
The Munising Beacon is now under new local ownership.
Jennifer Champagne, sole owner of The Munising Beacon, has taken the reins of the publication — and somehow talked the paper’s founder, Steve Stiffler, into coming back as co-publisher.
“He wouldn’t take the title of publisher outright,” Champagne said, “but he agreed to do it with me — which is honestly incredible.”
Stiffler is the award-winning publisher of The Newberry News, which he co-owns with his wife, Carol Stiffler, the paper’s editor. The Newberry News has earned Newspaper of the Year honors three straight years from the Michigan Press Association.
Together, the teams are now transitioning systems, staff and communications to ensure a seamless experience for Beacon readers.
“It’s an honor to be working with the newspaper I founded back in 2022,” Steve Stiffler said. “With new, local ownership, The Beacon will be something the community and Alger County can be proud to call their own. The love and dedication this new staff has towards the community is infectious.”
Although the two papers operate independently, The Munising Beacon and The Newberry News have a strong working relationship and collaborate wherever it makes sense to do so.
Currently, Beacon leadership is building out infrastructure to support its growing team of writers both local and remotely, using modern tools to ensure consistency and communication.
Champagne’s background in film production — where managing dozens of moving parts is second nature — lends itself to her role as managing editor. Paired with Stiffler’s extensive experience in the world of publishing, it’s a blend of creative logistics and seasoned news judgment that’s already shaping The Beacon’s next chapter.
“Local news only works if it’s actually local,” Champagne said. “I’m here in Munising — boots on the ground, knocking on doors, showing up to meetings, listening to people. The Beacon should feel like it belongs to this community — all of Alger County — because it does.”
As the official newspaper of record for Munising and Alger County as a whole, The Munising Beacon will serve as the proper publication for legal notices, bid postings and public announcements in the area. It also will offer local content from a developing team of U.P. writers.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to serve this community,” Champagne said. “We’re incredibly lucky that former owners Dustin and Jill Denkins never abandoned Munising. They kept The Munising Beacon going when many others would have walked away. The newspaper business isn’t for the faint of heart, but it matters. To ensure The Munising Beacon is here for future generations, we’re going to need your support — because without it, community journalism doesn’t survive.”
The Munising Advisor and the Manistique Advisor are still going strong under the leadership of the Denkinses.
Despite the change in ownership of The Munising Beacon, readers can expect the same locally focused content, but in a more timely manner. A new deadline schedule will move up the digital release to Tuesday evenings, while subscribers will receive the print copies in their mailboxes on Wednesdays beginning Aug. 13.
Michael Murray, who joined The Beacon as editor last fall, remains on staff as editor in chief.
“The Beacon has a bright future, and I’m honored to be part of its growth,” Murray said. “I am especially excited about our new production schedule, which will get the paper into readers’ hands earlier in the week.”