About US

The Wheat City Journal hit the streets with its inaugural issue on April 25, 2002. Its first publisher was Bruce Penton, a Brandonite who spent the first 12 years of his newspaper career with The Brandon Sun before moving to New Westminster, B.C. in 1979. Two years later, he and his family moved to Moosomin, Sask., where he served as editor and publisher of the award-winning World-Spectator for 21 years. He and his wife Barb also owned another community newspaper, the Esterhazy Miner-Journal, from 1997 to 2002. In 2004, the Wheat City Journal was purchased by Glacier Ventures International Corp.

In July of 2007, Brent Fitzpatrick joined the Wheat City Journal team as the new Editor. Fitzpatrick was no stranger to the Brandon media, having worked as the anchor of CKX News @ 6 for six years. For the previous 20 months Brent served as the managing editor of the Virden Empire-Advance. In February, 2009, Fitzpatrick took a promotion within the Glacier family and Lanny Stewart was named Editor. In August of 2009, Penton was appointed editor, having left the daily Medicine Hat News, where he had been Associate Editor.

In November, 2009, the Wheat City Journal became the Westman Journal, changing its name and sharply increasing its circulation to about 35,000. The publication continued to be circulated to all homes and businesses in Brandon, but was also inserted as a supplemental section in six other Westman publications Ñ The Neepawa Press, The Virden Empire-Advance, The Souris Plaindealer, The Melita New Era, The Reston Recorder and The Deloraine Times & Star.

Who we are and where to find us

The Westman Journal is a free circulation community newspaper than distributes more than 35,000 copies to Brandon and Western Manitoba each Wednesday. Besides home delivery in Brandon and mail delivery to Shilo, the Journal is also distributed in the aforementioned fashion across Western Manitoba. It is also available for pickup at most hotels in the city, the Keystone Centre, Brandon University, Assiniboine Community College and a number of other retail outlets.

Advertising Information

An advertisement running in the Westman Journal carries a powerful punch. Because the newspaper is distributed to 35,000 homes in Brandon and Western Manitoba and because readers report it is such a readable product, each issue usually stays in the home for the full week, maximizing its potential exposure to readers. From Classified Advertising to Display advertising of all sizes, advertising in the Westman Journal has proven to be a valuable marketing tool for Westman businesses and people.

Please contact one of our sales representatives if you are interested in advertising or have any questions. Please call our sales reps at (204) 725-0209.