Newspapers just aren't what or where they used to be

In an article entitled, "Changes to Iowa's newspaper landscape, 2019 to 2025" - Bleeding Heartland the author gives a bleak look at the newspaper industry in Iowa.

The author, Jeff Morrison took the time to track down all of the newspapers left in the state and made a map of the reality of print news.

According to Morrison there are 51 Iowa newspapers in the 99 counties...not even one print edition for each county. Yet, lawmakers require government entities to find one that is left to print legal notices...then they assume that the population will read a print newspaper.

Morrison blamed COVID-19 for "whacking" the Iowa newspaper industry. He obviously wasn't paying attention 15 years ago. At that time, even in our little town, there were two newspapers in town, owned by two different sets of owners. I remember one of the bosses noting that the competition had dropped the word "daily" from their name, and shortly after they went to a bi-weekly paper.

A conversation some 35+ years ago with an older gal who had been in the business all of her life declared that the newspaper would never die, because people like to hold something. This was before cell phones were the thing to hold. She was talking paper.

Another of the issues with print is the equipment itself. I'm sure the printing presses in the area are early 1900 models and parts are nonexistent. Even if the parts are, the folks who know how to fix them are more rare than the parts.

Morrison noted in his report that in our area alone, the Cedar Rapids Gazette and the Waterloo Courier went from printing 6 days a week down to three. The other thing newspapers need are carriers to deliver the papers. Some now go through the post office. Kids don't have routes any longer.

Even the local shopper has shrunken its delivery coverage. Advertising in the area seems to be best suited, well, right here on Vinton Today if you want to target readers who care about the area.

If you have family or friends in a small corner of the state without a newspaper, have them drop me an email and I'd happily point them in the right direction to get them started to either pick up the slack or to be ready to step in when print folds for the last time.

It's a sad part of the passing of time, progressing from the "old ways" to the online world, but there are opportunities out there.

Which brings me to another ask. In the online news world, the largest expense in this case and scenario, is rebuilding the website every few years to update the computer code. There are monthly hosting fees as well as a fee to deliver the email to your inbox.

So, if you can, drop a few bucks to help cover the cost of rebuilding this website it would be greatly appreciated! Here's a link to donate Support Vinton Today

or if you prefer to mail a check, send it to: Vinton Today, PO Box 7, Vinton, IA 52349.

Thank you to all of the wonderful readers who read the website and who send in information to share or ideas. Thank you for your kind words of encouragement and moral support as well. It means the world!

News : Newspapers just aren't what or where they used to be

Comments