Several blogs ago I announced my intention to remove myself
from the local paper. I said that this decision was caused by the members of
the paper’s management team developing divergent directions. They were each going
in their different ways and that essentially was dissolving the team itself.
It takes time to do that. Dissolving is not done overnight.
Routines are kept because it is easy to do. So we printed another issue of the
paper. We have one ahead of us as well. There are obligations that need to be
fulfilled. Advertisers have bought space and we will honor that.
Other obligations exist as well. One is honesty and
credibility with the public. That requires a high standard to fulfill. It also
takes discipline of thought and effort to bring off.
Last fall, we realized the bills would not be paid if we
published twice a month. The first issue actually made money while the second
issue was nearly an entire loss. So the first issue subsidized the second and
we felt this was not right. So we killed
the second issue to see what effect it would have.
The public didn’t really notice right away. It took five
months before people realized we were only publishing once each month. But we
noticed something else. The public didn’t send us as much information as they
had before. Our data resources were drying up. The calendar was cut in half.
Announcements of key events went by the wayside. So too notices of deaths. The
paper’s flow of information was shutting down.
We did not do that. Shutting down. It was a happenstance of
our actions, but we didn’t plan on it. As the calendar producer I noticed it
first. Then I noticed that few obituaries were being submitted to us. Finally I
noticed the family and children’s clothing sale at the Fire Department was
being announced by yard signs rather than a public relationship release to the
paper. Also, Facebook postings were increasing for local events as well as
announcements of actual news items.
An in-town armed robbery occurred and was solved in less
than 24 hours. The criminals were in jail and no one was hurt. The mayor
announced this over Facebook and was picked up by many others in town. The item
never hit the newspaper.
So, pulling back the publishing schedule caused shrinkage of
coverage and content. That is the death knell of any publication I think.
So here’s the deal. If our community wants a newspaper, it
will have to be worked for by those same people who care. The ones who have
done this for seven years are pooped. They need help. They have asked for help.
They have received some help, but not enough.
If the community wants it, they have a ready made paper to
take on. They will need a managing editor, an executive editor, writers, ad
sales people and a host of other willing souls. The existing paper has had all
of that in the past. From willing volunteers. Without enough support from the
community, however, they have run out of steam.
Some of them may be willing to remain in place. Others are
more than willing to train new people to replace themselves.
The key question, however, is this: Does Warrenville want a
newspaper? Is the community willing to work for it? It costs $4000 to produce a 12-page issue
complete with overhead expenses. Note: this does not include the cost of
writing; all such has been volunteered to this point. No one should assume this
to continue!
The mechanism of the paper exists. The know-how exists. The
need exists. New people with fresh energy are needed. Might you be willing?
March 11, 2015
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