Banner to accept city’s loan offer

The Bay State Banner, Boston’s only black-owned newspaper, plans to accept a $200,000 loan from the city to stay afloat, despite criticism that the money could compromise its impartiality during an election year. The newspaper, which has a weekly circulation of 30,000 copies and has struggled with slumping advertising revenue, said last week that its last issue would be July 9. Miller has not disclosed the company’s revenues, but said he decided to close the operation because the paper was struggling financially.

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