A little more than a year ago, we took ownership of a group of Wyoming newspapers that were facing an uncertain future. I knew it would be difficult. I’m not sure I fully understood just how difficult.
There have been long weeks, staffing changes, financial challenges and plenty of mistakes along the way. We have heard from readers who believe we are doing a good job, and we have heard – sometimes very clearly – from those who believe we need to do better.
Both matter.
National Newspaper Week gives us an opportunity to talk about why newspapers are important. But I don’t want to use this space simply to tell you how important we are. I would rather tell you why I still believe this work is worth doing.
This year’s theme, “Rooted in Community, Committed to Truth,” could not better describe what community journalism is supposed to be.
A local newspaper is more than the pages that arrive in your mailbox each week. It is the reporter sitting through a city council meeting when few others are in the room. It is the photographer standing along the sideline on a cold Friday night. It is the story about a new business, a retiring teacher, a local election, a state championship or a family experiencing an unimaginable loss.
It is also a permanent record of a community’s history.
Social media can tell us something happened. A newspaper’s responsibility is to determine what happened, why it matters and how it affects the people who live here.
That responsibility has never been more important.
We live in a time when information moves almost instantly. Rumors can travel across a community before the facts are known. Social media algorithms decide what appears in front of us, often rewarding the loudest or most emotional voices. Artificial intelligence can produce convincing words, photographs and videos without ever attending a meeting, making a phone call or speaking face-to-face with the people involved.
Local journalism is different. It is produced by real people who live and work in the communities they cover.
Our reporters attend the meetings. They ask the questions. They speak with local officials, business owners, coaches, teachers, parents and residents. They work to confirm information before it is published, and when we make a mistake, our obligation is to acknowledge it and correct it.
We do not always get everything right. No newspaper does.
There will be stories we miss, issues we should cover more thoroughly and decisions with which readers disagree. During the past year, we have experienced staffing changes, growing pains and plenty of challenges across our publications. We have also listened to readers who expect more from us – and they should.
Being committed to the truth does not mean claiming perfection. It means continuing to show up, asking difficult questions, listening to criticism and working to become better.
When we took ownership of these newspapers, we did so because we believed these communities deserved to keep their local voices. We believed Wyoming communities should not lose the newspapers that have recorded their accomplishments, challenges and history for generations.
That belief has only grown stronger.
Across our nine publications, I see dedicated employees working each week to produce something meaningful. Reporters and editors gather the news. Advertising representatives help local businesses share their stories. Designers build the pages. Press employees work behind the scenes to put ink on paper. Office staff, mailroom, drivers and countless contributors help make sure each edition reaches its readers.
Their work matters, and I am grateful for every one of them.
However, a community newspaper cannot survive on commitment alone.
Subscriptions and single copy purchases help pay for local reporting. Advertising from area businesses allows us to keep reporters in our communities and newspapers coming off the press. News tips, photographs, letters and honest feedback help us understand what matters to our readers.
Supporting a local newspaper does not mean agreeing with every story, editorial decision or opinion printed in its pages. It means believing your community deserves an independent source of local information and a public record that does not disappear when a social media post is deleted or an algorithm moves on to the next subject.
Our newspapers belong to the communities they serve. While we may own the presses and pay the bills, the stories belong to you.
They are your elections, your schools, your businesses, your teams, your celebrations and your challenges. Our job is to document them accurately, fairly and with the care they deserve.
During National Newspaper Week, I want to thank everyone who reads, subscribes, advertises, contributes information or simply calls to tell us where we can improve.
Your support allows local journalism to continue.
The way people receive news will keep changing. Our newspapers will continue to evolve in print, online and across digital platforms. But our purpose must remain the same: to be present in our communities, to provide information people can trust and to preserve the stories that define the places we call home.
We are proud to be rooted in these communities.
And we remain committed to earning your trust.
