Wheelhouse : Your owner’s manual
Posted on Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Last week, I read a great article on the future of newspapers in a trade publication distributed by the Arkansas Press Association. The upshot of the article, at least the part that resonated with me, was the consensus that community newspapers will survive and even prosper well into the future. "Community newspaper"can be defined in a lot of different ways, and one person quoted in the article even used a threshold based on circulation in making the distinction. I tend to think of a community newspaper as any paper of any size that makes local coverage its bread and butter. And it doesn't surprise me that papers like that are expected to fare well in the years ahead. The reason can be found in comparison drawn in the same article. A newspaper consultant from Connecticut, when asked about the future of the business, referred to local newspapers as "owners manuals"for their communities. I think that's one of the best descriptions I've heard of the role local newspapers - papers like the Herald-Leader- play in the communities they serve. An owners manual tells its reader how something works. It explains the inner workings of processes that can be difficult to understand without a guide. It contains knowledge that has practical application, along with knowledge that does little more than satisfy a reader's curiosity - things the reader needs to know, and things the reader simply wants to know. A community newspaper may not look like the owners manual people keep in their vehicles, or the manuals that come with each electronic device we purchase. But a newspaper performs the same function. It gives insight and answers questions. It lets people know how their community works. People wonder: What's going on in the schools my children are attending ? What decisions are being made by local government ? How are my tax dollars being spent ? Who were those people gathered in the park last weekend ? Where are the best local places to shop ? What's going on downtown this evening, this weekend ? Which movies are playing at the local theater ? How will the upcoming holidays affect sanitation services ? Why was traffic backed up along my street the other day ? Questions the people of Siloam Springs ask about their community could fill up the rest of this column, the rest of this page - and quite a few of them can be answered by thumbing through The Herald-Leader each Wednesday and Sunday. When one considers how much people care about their community - and how curious people are about what's happening here at home - it isn't surprising that they want an owners manual close at hand. Likewise, it's not surprising that papers striving to fill that need here and elsewhere are expected to do well in the years ahead.
••• There are a lot of great reasons to visit Books on Broadway in downtown Siloam - first and foremost, the books. Perusing the store's diverse collection has become one of my favorite ways to pass an evening. And I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that the store's staff is exceptionally knowledgeable and courteous. But another thing I've really enjoyed about spending time at the bookstore is the view it affords one of a downtown that remains vibrant hours after the sun goes down. That's been especially true of late, as John Brown University students and faculty have filtered back into Siloam Springs and found their way downtown. In a place where a lot is happening, the downtown area is definitely a happening place. If you haven't yet, check it out, some evening. - John Dilmore is publisher of the Siloam Springs Herald-Leader. He can be reached at johnd @ nwanews. com.
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