Whatever happened to the “community” aspect of your community newspaper?
If you have ever found yourself scratching your head about the exclusion of community announcements or events in your hometown newspaper, you’re not alone: the staff here at The Graham Star often scratches its head in amazement at how classified advertising – and even free announcements – continue to evade our pages each week.
The question is so redundant that the answer itself should be flashing in giant letters in your mind: Facebook.
Before the problem is countered with a now ancient buzz phrase – “digital revolution” – it is important to note that just five years ago, The Graham Star still received a healthy dose of community announcements, such as anniversary, birth, engagement and wedding announcements. Yard sales often helped flesh out a consistent 1-2 pages of production in our classifieds section, while it was – at least – a top-five priority on the list for publicity to make sure the newspaper was in the loop about your upcoming event.
Facebook was launched in 2004. Twitter followed in 2006, while Instagram first appeared in 2010. For those crunched for time, the math for each of the social media leaders just listed comes out to way more than “five years ago.”
Newspapers have been cognizant for years at the changes in the media industry. The ease of obtaining your news – and the speed at which you can, all from your smartphone, tablet or computer – has presented a new challenge for journalists: not which morning edition can break the story, but which online media outlet can be the first to post a breaking piece.
In turn, newspapers such as the one you are reading have answered the challenge by incorporating social media, publication-exclusive websites and even delivery of an electronic edition of the weekly product to your devices – the same ones you use to check Facebook or Twitter for the latest “news.”
Often, readers of The Graham Star will see display ads that we crafted in-house, touting our reputation for honest, balanced and reputable reporting. Do we get it wrong from time to time? Absolutely. At the end of the day, we are human – just like the individuals that post “news” to Twitter or a random Facebook page.
And yet, so many take what they read online as the gospel, you would think Paul or the Good Lord himself was declaring it as such.
Our reports – which does not include “letters to the editor,” just to quantify – are penned by a staff that actually cares about our home and prioritizes journalistic integrity, something that has sadly went missing behind a mask of talking heads and which way a billionaire leans.
After all, your local newspaper is in the trenches each week with you – while regional, statewide and national outlets often provide coverage when it fits an agenda.
It is also important to note that 99 percent of the community announcements/news listed above still cost the exact same amount for publication as they did when The Graham Star opened its doors in 1955: nothing. Free. It is on the house.
Of that list, yes, we do charge for yard sales: $7 is the baseline minimum for a classified listing. The cost of two gallons of gas (and if this economy continues to pound us down, a single gallon of milk). For $7, you can reach a wider audience than a Facebook page (public or personal) and as an added bonus, our classifieds are posted to grahamstar.com – accessible from your handy-dandy smartphone – each week, for free.
As more and more rural areas campaign for residents to “Buy Local” – to help support the local economy, before spending money elsewhere – what could be more “local” than supporting the local newspaper?
Just remember the next time that convenience pays bigger dividends for you, even “free” sometimes comes with a price.
Kevin Hensley is the publisher/editor of The Graham Star. He can be reached via phone, (828) 479-3383; email, editor@grahamstar.com; or on Twitter, @KevinHensleyCNI.