OPINION
Why do we still need newspapers?
In today's world of social media, 24/7 news cycles and constant contact via the internet, what value does a newspaper still have?
Well, I got a reminder of that in a couple of ways when I popped into the Martin General Store on Wednesday morning for a drink and a snack.
I ran into a woman who remembered the impact the newspaper had on her life when I captured her son reaching up to her at his high school graduation, a moment that only I was witness to from the floor of the UNT Coliseum but that she now has forever because it ran in the paper.
I also realized all of the copies on the counter had sold, which was because someone featured in the pages wanted as many copies as Allison Martin had for sale.
We capture life events and share them with the communities we serve in a way that is different than any other medium.
We tell those stories as professional observers and writers who care about the stories we tell.
The newspaper, too, is a source of information about what the decision-makers in a community do.
Even with the advent of recorded meetings, how many of you really go to or go back and listen to the city council and school board meetings?
If I worked in any other industry, I don't know that I would be able to say I would do that regularly.
We try to synopsize the meetings, to give our readers a view into what is being done in their name by their local leaders and to engage with their community.
If you read something that seems questionable about those decisions, you know where to dig.
We will never give you every bit of information you could ever need.
We have limited space in our paper edition, and even online we're limited by how much time we have to write up the information.
However, we do shine a light on the work being done in our area—good, bad or indifferent— and offer to let you pick up the torch to see what's there. Sometimes, we can't put everything we know into the paper, not because we don't want to, but because for us to publish it in this newspaper, we want to make sure the information is verifiable and as accurate as possible.
I would rather be accurate and take my time than sloppy but quick.
Newspaper Association Managers Inc. shared a few of its reasons why it believes community journalism in the form of local newspapers matters.
'Informed Citizens: Local reporting empowers people with the information they need to make decisions in their everyday lives— from voting to attending town hall meetings.
'Accountability: Local journalists often serve as watchdogs, uncovering corruption or negligence that directly impacts their communities.
'Community Connection: Local news fosters a sense of belonging by highlighting stories that resonate on a personal level.
'Economic Development: Thriving local media can support small businesses through advertising and partnerships, strengthening the local economy.'
Oct. 5-11 is National Newspaper Week.
Thank you for celebrating that by being a reader who cares about what is happening in your backyard and who wants to support the small businesses who you see advertising with us.
We don't do this in a vacuum, because without you, our readers and our advertisers, there would be nothing to publish.
We don't do it for the feedback, although that can keep us going on hard weeks.
We do this because we care and because we are passionate about telling the stories that tie us all together.
Thank you for being our partners in this process.
Abigail Allen is the Editor & Publisher of the Post-Signal. She can be reached at [email protected].
