The Oban Times is a local, weekly newspaper, published in Oban, Argyll and Bute on a Thursday. It covers the West Highlands and Islands of Scotland, reporting on issues from the Mull of Kintyre to Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland, to the Inner and Outer Hebridean Islands with Argyll, and Lochaber as its heartlands.
Contents
History
In 1861 The Oban Monthly Pictorial Magazine was established by James Miller at a printing site on George Street in Oban. In 1866 the monthly operation became a weekly and changed its name to The Oban Times & Argyllshire Advertiser, although locally it was often referred to as ‘The Highlander’s Bible’. Printing was later transferred to a printing plant at the top of John’s Lane.
In 1882, Duncan Cameron purchased The Oban Times newspaper for £4,000 following the death of James Miller. Cameron was member of the printing and stationery firm of Macniven and Cameron in Edinburgh. Cameron had ancestral connections to the area. After the purchase, Cameron appointed his twenty-one-year-old son, also named Duncan Cameron, as the editor. The senior Cameron's daughter, Flora Macaulay, became the paper's editor when her brother Duncan left for Edinburgh to join the family's stationery business and another brother, Waverley, drowned at Lismore. Flora stayed involved with The Oban Times until her death at 99 in 1958. She was eventually succeeded as editor by her nephew, Alan Cameron.
In June 1976, Alan Cameron decided to relinquish control of the paper and The Oban Times was acquired by Johnston Press, Falkirk. The control of the paper reverted to private ownership in 1983 when it was purchased by its present owner, Howard Bennett.
From 7 July 1866 until 23rd Nov 1929 (3008 editions) The Oban Times was published as 'The Oban Times and Argyllshire Advertiser' being described as "The County paper of Argyllshire circulating extensively in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Greenock, Paisley, Stirling, Doune, Callander, Tyndrum, Dalmally, Kingussie, Inverness, Fort William, Ballachulish, Tobermory, Easdale, Lochgilphead, Ardrishaig, Inveraray, Portree, Stornoway, the Lewis, Skye, the Western Islands and many other districts". It has since 19th Oct 1929 been published as the 'Oban Times and West Highland Times,' firstly on Saturday and latterly on Thursday, being described as "The regional newspaper for the West Highlands, Islands and Argyll."
In 2016 the Lochaber News was purchased by The Oban Times. The masthead in the northern edition now reads "The Oban Times - Incorporating Lochaber News"
Today
The Oban Times is part of the Wyvex Media Group, which also publishes The Argyllshire Advertiser (est. 1886) covering Mid Argyll and North Kintyre - known locally as "The Squeak," The Arran Banner (est. 1975) covering Arran, The Campbeltown Courier (est. 1873) covering Campbeltown and Kintyre as well as magazines Scottish Field, Scots Heritiage Magazine, the monthly Fish Farmer Magazine and monthly FishUpdate.COM website as well as a selection of Calendars