Longtime newspaperman joins Frontiersman staff as publisher

Longtime newspaperman Mike Jensen has been named publisher of the Frontiersman. Dennis Anderson, who served as the Frontiersman publisher for the last three years, and group publisher for Wick Communications will continue to oversee all operations for Wick’s Alaska properties, which include the Frontiersman and the Anchorage Press.

Jensen, who comes to Alaska from Wyoming, has been in the newspaper business for more than 37 years. He’s also a second-generation newspaperman. His father was a longtime publisher in his home state of Utah. Prior to accepting the position with Wick and the Frontiersman, Jensen spent over 27 years with News Media Corporation, the last 25 as a publisher and group publisher.

Jensen came to Alaska from Cheyenne, Wyoming, a city of of about 60,000 people near the Wyoming-Colorado border. Jensen said he sees similarities to Evanston, Wyoming, a town of 12,000 people and where he spent over 20 years, and his new home in the Mat-Su Valley. Those similarities also tie in with his philosophies regarding community journalism.

“I’m a huge advocate of small-town community journalism and I firmly believe it is the future of the newspaper industry,” Jensen said. “I believe in a local news product that features local names and local faces. There’s nothing more important.”

Jensen, who started Tuesday, said he’s thrilled with the opportunity.

“No question about it,” Jensen said. “I’m looking forward to everything that the Mat-Su Valley and Alaska has to offer.”

Anderson’s home office will now be in Montrose Colorado, but he will be making regular visits to Alaska as he continues his work with Frontiersman and Anchorage Press staff. Anderson said regardless of the location of his primary office, he is eager to continue to be a part of the Valley community and serve the Frontiersman’s readers.

“I’m excited for the opportunity the company provided me, and I’m excited to still be part of the Wick Alaska team,” Anderson said. “We’ve had a tremendous amount of success in Alaska during the last three years. I still will be a part of the operation. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with the team. I welcome Mike as a valued member of our team. He provides a tremendous amount of experience and our views of community journalism align.”

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.