Jill's Journal: Vibrant communities have vibrant papers
Imagine our little piece of this big ol’ world without your local news source, the community weekly newspaper. It was a short time ago that four South Dakota communities were dealt the loss of their newspapers. And it happened in the blink of an eye.
In just days after their closure, all four were reopened by another media company. This very event brought awareness to the industry. In order for our survival, we need our community residents to subscribe and businesses and organizations to advertise. If we had the ability to produce our products without this necessary revenue, trust me, we would.
Unfortunately, money doesn’t grow on trees, and I haven’t won the lottery, which, if I did, would result in free newspapers for all. (It’s a wonderful dream, but as they say, ‘You’ve gotta play if you’re gonna win.)
A few ears back, I was on the sidelines of a boys’ tennis match between the Lynx and the Harrisburg Tigers. I snapped a lot of pictures that day of our Brandon Valley boys, and at one point, a Harrisburg player acknowledged my presence: “Take our pictures, too.”
From my years on the sidelines, I know the Harrisburg kids have a photographer that’s focused solely on them. Many high schools do. But what Harrisburg kids don’t have is a true community newspaper that documents the weekly wins and losses, and not just in pictures, but words, too. Simply put, we tell their stories that not only celebrates the here and now, but memorializes the “glory days” for years to come.
I shared this story with a Brandon Valley parent, and he, too, acknowledged how much his family of three former BV Lynx student-athletes appreciated seeing their names and faces in print.
But there’s so much more to community weeklies than just how the football and basketball teams are playing. We serve as historians for the communities we cover and the people we call our neighbors. We’re the watchdog of decisions made by city and school government officials. We celebrate the good, honor the fallen. We tell our collective story as a community.
In a world overflowing with information, it can be easy to overlook the simple, steady power of a local weekly newspaper. But for countless towns across America, that familiar bundle of pages landing in the mailbox each week remains far more than just ink and paper – it’s the heartbeat of the community.
A vibrant community newspaper connects people in ways no national outlet or social media feed ever could. It tells our stories, like the one about Mikah Peters who won his one and only high school state cross country championship, the city council making decisions that shape our neighborhoods, and the volunteers, like Chris Brown, who quietly makes life better for others. These aren’t just headlines; they’re the threads that weave together the shared fabric of small-town life.
Strong local journalism doesn’t happen by accident. It requires the continued support of readers and advertisers who understand that good reporting has value. Each subscription, each ad, and each kind word help ensure that your local paper can continue doing its job – informing, connecting, and celebrating the people who make this place special.
A vibrant community newspaper is more than a publication. It’s a public trust, a mirror of our shared life, and a voice for those who call this place home. Supporting it means supporting ourselves.
