Winter is the cruellest season. The weather is cold, the sun sets early, and running a business can be frustrating. Sometimes you wonder: Is it worth it?
But if I needed a boost, a pat on the back, a reason to continue, it arrived Friday morning in an email.
It was from a guy named Tom whom I’ve never met, but I’m going to print what he wrote because it was so complimentary:
“Thank you. I’ve just read an online article about America’s news deserts, the too many communities that have no local paper. No news, no sports, no opinion, no place for coverage or analysis of community issues.”
You’re very welcome. The company that owns the Enterprise-Journal is not near that point yet. But the problem is real: An Associated Press story last October said 136 newspapers had closed in the past 12 months, and the number of communities described as “news deserts” is increasing.
Entrepreneurs and philanthropies are starting new websites, but at a lower rate than newspaper closings.
“I grew up reading the Times Picayune (and the old States-Item). It was the local presence and perspective that fell daily at my door in Gentilly and, later, in the Quarter, uptown, St. Tammany. It gave me news. It made me think.”
Amen, brother. I grew up in suburban New Orleans, near the Huey P. Long Bridge. It was a sad day when the Picayune quit circulating in McComb. I grew up reading that paper.
“Now I live in Summit and enjoy your paper twice each week for much the same reasons.”
That is a high compliment, and I am very grateful. Sorry we’re not five issues per week any more, but the market was telling us to cut back.
“It’s important to know the state of crime, what local government is doing, what’s happening with the Depot Museum and Otken Elementary, the health of the hospital, the dates and times of festivals, who makes the best and biggest burgers.”
We cover local news like those examples you mentioned, but the hard truth is that we have far fewer people to do it these days. That means less things get covered.
The most obvious example is crime. People want to know what’s going on with crime and courts, and we are not covering that as well as we used to. Managing Editor Matt Williamson and I are working on some ideas.
Sometimes I am tempted to turn our website into a scandal sheet of local crime and gossip. That’s what gets the most attention on the internet. I have the numbers from our site to prove it.
For now, we are going forward with the time-tested goal of being fair to all sides while we report local news. But I do believe that what people want to read about is different than it used to be.
“Your editorial pages matter to me, too. Your opinions are thoughtfully considered, written well and stated clearly, even when I disagree. I read the obits and the grocery inserts. Religion news is not for me.”
That’s flattering. In a moment of candor, I tend to be less satisfied with my editorials, which are on the left side of Wednesday’s Opinion page. From my start as editor 25 years ago, I was more comfortable writing the column, the one with my mug shot.
I’ve been putting the obituaries together for the past two years and enjoy it. The best ones, written by family members, tell great stories.
“A community journal is a worthy enterprise. Thanks again.”
Once again, you’re very welcome. I’m going to print your email for everyone who works here, to let them know that what we do matters.
The Enterprise-Journal is doing OK. We’re still selling advertisements. We still make a living printing 14 other newspapers besides our own.
The challenge is readers. We need more subscribers, especially on our website. But no one ever said life would be easy.
