Missouri Press Association
Serving Missouri Newspapers Since 1867
Members' Views

Investing in the history and identity of your home town

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For years, I heard the same complaints about local newspapers: “There’s never anything in the paper” or “Why print a paper when everything is online?” But when Chariton County, Missouri, lost its over 100-year-old community newspaper in February 2022, the reality of what was lost became evident. Once home to multiple weekly publications, the county had already seen its newspapers consolidate, and when the final paper closed, it left a gap that couldn’t be easily filled. The county’s residents soon realized that without a local newspaper, the central resource that once gathered news from schools, county and city governments, and community organizations was gone. The shift forced people to visit multiple websites, struggle with social media algorithms, and deal with the frustration of piecing together information from scattered sources.

The loss of the local paper underscored a deeper truth: small communities need to work together for the common good. Rural areas offer families a safe place to live and retirees the social connections they seek, but without a way to unify and share information, those communities can struggle. The local paper had once been the glue holding it all together providing everything from legal notices to event announcements, from community stories to updates on local businesses. A single print edition had consolidated all of this into one place, something that online sources couldn't replicate. A printed paper, placed on the dining room table, became an easily accessible reference for important details, whether for a school event or a local business phone number.

When I was approached in February 2022 about the possibility of starting a newspaper from scratch, I point blankly told my friend on the other end of the phone he had lost his mind.  Starting a new paper seemed impossible. But as I reflected on all that had been lost, I realized just how important it was to try. I thought about the scrapbooks I had from my high school days, the laminated sports stories, and the feature articles that had helped launch local foundations. After several days of considering the reality and the challenges, I decided to take action. In March 2022, I filed for an LLC and began reaching out to former newspaper owners and editors for help.

The process was anything but easy. To say it was a breeze would be laughable—it was an overwhelming challenge, and to this day, I’m not sure how I managed to pull it off. But somehow, the first issue was ready by the last week of April 2022. I distributed 1,000 free copies that first week, just to show people what was coming. There was only one copy left by the end of that week and I have it framed on my office wall as a reminder of that milestone. In the next two weeks, I sent over 3,000 copies to every mailbox in the county, plus a few outside its borders. By week four, I had 250 subscriptions, and the number was growing fast.

Behind the scenes, the work was grueling. When I applied for a new media permit, I was only the second person in the nation to do so in 2022. I faced weeks of unreturned phone calls and soon learned the reason: the person at the St. Louis office who was supposed to issue new permits had no idea where to start and wasn’t responding to my inquiries. During the first week of mailing subscriptions, I found myself standing in the post office lobby in tears. My permit had not yet been approved, and I was mailing 250 papers at $1.15 each instead of the media rate. It took a direct call from my local postmaster to St. Louis , a few heated words between him and that contact person, and a week of back-and-forth before I finally received the necessary forms. By the time the second week's mailing rolled around, I had everything in place.

By the end of year one, I was at 700 subscriptions and weekly newsstand numbers of 200.  In a county of 7000 people, that was nearly a 30% household reach.  A percentage most websites can only imagine.

The legal hurdles were significant. To publish legal notices—essential for the paper’s success—our paper needed to be in print for three years, have a verified subscription base, and serve the local governmental entities. In the meantime, the county had to spend thousands of dollars placing legal notices in papers from neighboring areas, which didn’t serve the local community as effectively. The information was still available online, but many residents, particularly older ones, found it difficult to navigate, and they weren’t interested in online sources. It became clear that the absence of a local paper created a massive gap in community services.

Despite these challenges, the county’s business community rallied behind the paper. Many businesses, even those with strong online presence, recognized the value of a locally owned newspaper that would cover events, feature local stories, and promote community engagement. One business owner shared with me that he did very little print advertising because he served a niche market and could reach potential customers through emails and personal visits. His salespeople made those personal calls, which was a key part of his strategy. However, he also understood the importance of a local newspaper and wanted to ensure his business was represented whenever possible.

He regularly sponsored community events, often contributing nothing more than a simple business card ad with his logo and phone number. As a parent with kids involved in high school sports and activities, he knew that such stories would never be covered by larger publications or conglomerates, which weren’t interested in our community. His support of a locally owned paper wasn’t just for his business, it was vital for ensuring that local stories were told. He was the first of many local business owners who recognized this, and their support has been the cornerstone of the paper's success.

The financial side of running a paper was tough. Rising overhead costs meant I had to raise subscription rates, which caused some pushback. But even as people resisted the price increase, they made it clear they preferred a print version to an online-only subscription. The operational costs—including electricity, insurance, skilled labor, print costs, and postage—were high, and the need to keep up with technology was constant, with software and subscription services adding to the monthly expenses.

As the internet continues to dominate much of our lives, the convenience of online access often overshadows the value of a local, printed paper. The loss of a local newspaper can be devastating for a small town—it’s not just the loss of stories or information, but a piece of history and a sense of community. Local papers preserve this history in a way digital archives can’t. When a paper closes, the stories it told are often lost to time, unless they are physically archived in local museums or community spaces.  A parent or grandparents’ ability to brag on the recent success of their offspring just isn’t the same on a phone screen versus a scrapbook that can be shared over generations.

In Chariton County, the loss of the local paper had a significant impact. Supporting a locally owned paper ensures that communities stay connected, history is preserved, and people have a reliable source of information.  All benefits that a corporate office in a faraway city cannot generally offer to local citizens.  They simply don’t care about the local news, they only care about a large profit margin. The locally owned newspaper may seem like a relic of the past, but its importance has never been clearer. For anyone who doubts this, ask the people in Chariton County, Missouri about the events, stories, and connections they missed in just the 2 months their local paper closed. The value of supporting such a publication is immeasurable.

For many, picking up a newspaper to glance at the headlines or pictures is a reflex—something they do without even thinking. It’s not until the paper is gone that they realize how much they miss it. There’s an old saying that we should learn from others’ mistakes, and in this case, we have the chance to avoid one. Don’t let your small town lose its local paper. Once it’s gone, it’s incredibly difficult to replace, and even rarer for it to be revived. The community’s connection to its history, its events, and its stories is at risk. Supporting and preserving your local paper is an investment in the identity and future of the town itself.