Gary Black bids goodbye to the News Miner, leaving for the Anchorage Daily News

Story and photos by Lizzy Hahn

Gary Black, former editor of the Fairbanks Daily News, has worked at the News Miner for 19 years.

Ever since he was around the ages of 16 and 17, young Gary Black would open his town newspaper to the opinion section once he was home from school every day. The born and raised Texan has been working at the Fairbanks Daily News Miner for the past 19 years. After attending college in Houston, Black went to work at the Houston Chronicle in an editorial role. However, some life changes prompted Black to apply for jobs across America. Back in 2006, Black applied for the copy editor position at the News Miner, a role he ended up getting. 

“I thought, why not? It'll be two years, three tops,” Black said about his move to Alaska. Nineteen years later, Black says that he will remain in Fairbanks for the foreseeable future. According to Vicky Ho, editor of the Anchorage Daily News, Sept. 22, 2025 was Black’s first day working for the ADN. The Fairbanks Daily News Miner is the second largest publication in Alaska, behind the Anchorage Daily News.

In his 19 years at the Fairbanks Daily News Miner, Black has worked in various roles. When he started out, he was the copy editor, page designer and worked on the newspaper’s layout. He was in this role for six years. From there, Black moved over to being the editor of feature stories and then became the managing editor five years ago.

Black believes that leadership changes are good. He said that new people bring to light new outlooks and new ideas.

Since Black has been at the News Miner, he said he has seen the industry shift before his eyes.

“The rise of the internet has killed your local media, largely,” he said. 

Papers across Alaska and the world have had to shift as well. According to Black, the Fairbanks Daily News Miner is the only newspaper in the state that is still printing the physical paper daily. The largest daily newspaper in the state, the Anchorage Daily News, has ramped down how often their paper is printed. The Anchorage Daily News now only prints twice a week.

Gary Black, former editor of the Fairbanks Daily News, looks at one of the papers that he recently put together.

Now that Black is no longer the managing editor of the News Miner, he said he sees himself becoming a little more active in the community without his professional obligations getting in the way. Whether that means putting up a yard sign for a candidate, creating a Substack or even running for office, Black himself is not exactly sure what is in store for the future. What he is sure of however, is being active within the community.

“Community involvement is something I think everyone needs to pitch in with,” Black said. “We all live here. It all very much takes a village.”

While Black is excited to become more personally involved in the community, he said that the News Miner receives a lot of involvement. They encourage the community to send tips, ideas and photos; and they do, in droves.

Gary Black, former editor of the Fairbanks Daily News, laughs after an interview on Thursday, September 18, 2025.

At his time at the News Miner, Black has gotten to experience various breaking news moments.

He reflected on John McCain announcing Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential pick and how the rest of the day was filled with national newspapers calling them. 

“I've landed on a glacier with the Air Force to recover airplane parts from a wreck,” said Black.

It was clear just how much Black, a self-proclaimed chucklehead, enjoyed his time at the News Miner, calling it a labor of love.

“You do it because you love it. You do it because you know someone needs to see what the city council is spending money on, what this committee and the borough assembly is deciding, what this assembly person is making in that amendment. The Washington Post is not covering your local city council or your local school board. Your local media is.”