The Absent Uncle: The value of local information
Not long ago I viewed a report on the growing casualty list of true local hometown newspapers. The numbers were staggering. At least one paper is ceasing publication every week, and there are only a little over 2,000 truly locally-published newspapers left in the entire United States.
Recently, the Brandon Valley Journal celebrated its sixth anniversary and the start of its seventh year of publication. From my observation, the paper continues to grow from the efforts of the staff, the dedicated support from the advertisers (who with their advertising buys actually make the newspaper a viable entity in the community), and the subscribers/readers who faithfully keep the paper coming through their paid subscriptions.
And what is the value of that local newspaper to Brandon?
Local current
information.
Concise, factual, impartial, entertaining, and important to keep the citizens up to date on the happenings in the community. It is a huge task to put out the weekly newspaper.
In that report I viewed, it was plain that the main paper being featured was a longtime community fixture, but because of a population declining, the proliferation of digital advertising, and community changes the publication was on the ropes – the owners aging and no succession from others on the horizon.
The subscribers, many of whom did not necessarily agree with the opinion page of the paper, were universally saddened and were anticipating the loss of a community asset, but really couldn’t blame the publishers for the decision.
They felt the value of the local newspaper that reports the good, the bad, the triumphs and the losses, the celebrations, the issues, and most importantly how it binds the community together with the local information it needs to be informed of. Their loss.
Brandon is in a different position. Growth, vibrancy, and wide-open expectations keep it going.
You’ve got a jewel in the Brandon Valley Journal in being a part of it – value it, support it, and most of all – read it.
