Valley Journal
Valley Journal

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Change is coming

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Dear Readers,

Some things never change. Sometimes things have to. Here at the Journal, we’re charging forward with needed change.

Studies have shown that the closer we are to the communities we serve, the more success a newspaper is likely to have. Through a grassroots approach to community journalism, the Valley Journal has become a trusted source for local news. We’re proud of the close connections we’ve made with you, our readers, over the past 14 years.

We’ve been asked countless times how we can put out a free newspaper. The answer has been that local advertisements make it free. In an ever-evolving world, circumstances change. And so must we. Starting with the first issue of July 2019, the Valley Journal will transition to a paid newspaper at $1.25 per issue.

A lot has changed with our own newspaper and the newspaper industry. We’ve added coverage, new publications and a website and have increased our circulation to meet growing demand for your homegrown newspaper. New staff have been hired to meet these needs. 

Industry-wide, newspapers struggle with print advertising revenue losses. The fallout has now reached small newspapers, the Valley Journal included. Newspaper revenues have diminished, but the demand for local news coverage hasn’t. We can no longer sustain on advertising alone. We need our readers to partner with us.

In our digital age, finding snippets of news is easy to do; however, qualifying those sources and verifying facts is a more difficult and involved task. Digital is great, we all love it and use it, but the important matters in our lives are more grounded, physical. Local newspapers, like ours, capture a community’s essence and give flavor to our small towns. That’s our strength. Google and Facebook can’t compete with us on that. Digital fills a role but physical fills the senses. Comprehensive stories about the news in small town America can be found in the pages of a local newspaper. 

Because journalism matters, we are forging a new path forward. We’re holding a subscription drive over the next six weeks as we prepare to begin charging for the newspaper in July. Placed in the center of this week’s Journal is a form you can fill out and return to us to become a subscriber. 

For less than a cup of coffee, $1.25 an issue, you can still read your weekly homegrown newspaper – crafted and managed by people who live here with you. By subscribing now, you’ll save money at the stands and get a weekly copy delivered to your mailbox. Charging for the newspaper sustains us and opens up new opportunities to improve and expand.         

We look forward to continuing to serve you.

Sincerely,

Summer and Boone Goddard

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