The newspaper industry in America is in tatters in comparison to the news media of the twentieth century. With the onset of social media, not only have newspapers fallen in popularity, but also every other form of journalism has slipped. While people still want to know what’s happening around them, many seem content to accept unsubstantiated news articles, popularly known as fake news. Unnamed sources and information that cannot be verified all seems acceptable to many.
It is easy to get updates of interest without paying a dime, but the reality is that news is not free. The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, other area newspapers and electronic media outlets pay reporters, photographers, producers, and many other personnel to make quality journalism accessible to you.
Radio and television are able to hold to the old revenue model of having advertisers sponsor their programs. Revenues are lower now than in past times, but they are hanging on. Newspapers must rely on subscribers more than ever. Advertising dollars are low, meaning that subscriber support is essential.
What’s interesting is that often electronic media sources its news from the daily press. Frequently, articles from The Washington Post or The Baltimore Sun are referenced on television and radio news broadcasts. That means that print media is still doing the heavy lifting. Newspapers give you the details that broadcasters omit.
Newspapers can better afford to have a single reporter with a camera camped in a courtroom, a public hearing, or a debate. Electronic media cannot cover such events as easily because they need sound crews, video professionals, and seasoned on-air reporters. The cost is astronomical.
Just in the past several weeks, the Guilford Gazette covered two zoning hearings involving commercial and residential growth. Guilford, Kings Contrivance and North Laurel are the affected areas. We were the only media at those events. We also interviewed an outstanding student at Hammond High School and a local business owner in Savage. To boot, we covered the School Board Forum in Ellicott City and the most recent Savage Historical Society meeting.
The Guilford Gazette covers what others will not cover or cannot cover. Actually, we are looking for and writing stories about you. We are in your neighborhood learning what affects you most.
If you live or work in Savage, Kings Contrivance, North Laurel, Jessup, or Guilford, this newspaper is specifically designed to meet your needs. Each week, we come closer to that realization.
For the effort we put forward in support of you and what is most important in your life — your neighborhood, local businesses, your schools, and neighbors — we ask for your support. Go to www.GuilfordGazette.com and visit our subscription page. You will find great options at affordable prices. The little that you contribute goes a long way to advancing community journalism and keeping the Guilford Gazette in business for years to come.