June Letter from the Publisher: News on Your Cell Phone or Laptop

We get it that many of you like the convenience of looking at the screen on your laptop or cell phone for your news — and we offer that!

But consider that the source of your news matters.

When you subscribe to North Forty News in addition to getting the latest local news in your inbox from our online Daily Digest, you can download the exact replica of our bi-weekly print edition (and beginning in July we will become a weekly!) And you never have to deal with yet another piece of hard copy mail coming into your home.

Having said that, when your online news is based on news that also shows up in print you can depend on its greater accuracy — and if you spot an error, you can challenge us to print a correction.

Contrast that to an algorithm that selects what information will be presented to you based on your previous selections — and some of this so-called “news” will be merely the result of “trending” — what’s prevalent online and it may not be at all accurate. The other issue with such patterns of reading is that your world may continue to shrink as you read only the types of articles you read in the past — and you may be missing out on events and happenings in your community that you would really be interested in — IF only, you knew about them!

With the longstanding trend of corporations taking over local newspapers there’s been a “sea-change” as to what local coverage has become — much of it seems canned and lacking in local nuance. Worse yet, your neighbors and local officials may be engaged in some great activities you would want to know about but which the corporately-owned newspapers just don’t cover.

Like you, we live and work here and we love our community and routinely, we speak to folks in surrounding areas who love their communities as well.

As importantly, democracy happens at the local level and with your support, we are increasing coverage of your local officials.

As a locally-owned local newspaper we help preserve the fabric of your community and we enhance your sense of connection and belonging — this is important work!

Help support our work on your behalf by subscribing to either or both of our publications on either of these links:

northfortynews.com/subscribe  or  scenenoco.com/subscribe

Or contact us to learn more about advertising with us including how your ad in our print edition will also show up in our online digital replica of our current edition along with on our website.

Blaine Howerton