Why Community Newspapers Are More Important Than Ever

Since 1940, National Newspaper Week has been observed the first full week in October, so I thought it appropriate to share my thoughts on why supporting your local newspaper is more important than ever.

It's a popular notion that the internet has marked the downfall of community newspapers. And, while many have stopped publishing due to tough economic times, the rising cost of newsprint, and other factors, your community newspapers can do something the internet can't: We promote connections at a local level. Some say that because people can tweet, blog, surf, shop, and search online, no one reads newspapers anymore, but you just proved that to be a myth. Rather than being replaced by all the noise of "instant" media, your free local paper has become more important than ever. We are a part of your neighborhood. We shine a spotlight on people and organizations that make your town a better place to live, work, and play. No, they probably won't get a million views on TikTok, but they are heroes who live down the street and are making a positive difference in our community.

In the past year the publisher of this newspaper, Engle Printing & Publishing Co., Inc. (EPC) has featured more than 1,500 front-page articles benefiting more than 1,000 local nonprofit organizations in Lancaster, Chester, Berks, York, and Dauphin counties. Those numbers don't take into account the thousands of press releases that make their way into our papers each year.

With all the talk about social media, why do we continue to publish free community newspapers? It's who we are and who we've been for nearly 70 years. We live here, too, and we want to keep our communities thriving as much as you do.

If you know of an organization or individual making a positive impact on your community, contact us at news@engleonline.com or visit http://townlively.engleonline.com/event-submission to submit an event.