Carrickfergus Advertiser (defunct)

It described itself as the traditional weekly newspaper of Carrickfergus Borough; as of 2008 it was the only newspaper with a full-time office in the centre of the borough. Latterly it was owned by the Alpha Newspaper Group.

It was founded in 1883 as the Carrickfergus Advertiser and County Gazette; it was renamed the Carrickfergus Advertiser and County Gazette in 1891 and kept that name until 1990. In that year it became the Carrickfergus Advertiser and Guardian, and then the Carrickfergus Guardian and Advertiser nine months later. It reverted to the Carrickfergus Advertiser and County Gazette in 1992.

In 1994 it became the senior title of a series of three weekly tabloids covering eastern Co. Antrim, together with the newly-established Larne Gazette and Ballyclare Gazette.

On 10 February 2010 it was announced that the Advertiser would be merging with the Larne Gazette with effect from the week beginning 15 February 2010. The merger was to take account of the planned local government reorganisation. There were no plans to close the Carrickfergus editorial office, however, and both newspapers still maintained their distinctive identities, websites and offices. Nevertheless, the Larne Gazette did eventually close in September 2011. The Advertiser subsequently bore the subtitle “and East Antrim Gazette” in its masthead.

The Advertiser came out on Thursdays. An e-edition was also available by paid subscription.

It closed in mid-January 2014, along with the Ballyclare Gazette.