With the steady decline in Regional Newspapers, alongside their National counterparts, I have been interested to see what will replace them in the marketplace. There is definitely a demand for local news with social media being too unstructured and unmoderated to satisfy this need. The production of more structured content delivered in an Digital Format (eg PDF) or Website or Printed Paper incur writing and production costs. Unless financed on a fully volunteer or donation basis advertising revenue is needed to balance the books since in the marketplace customers will neither pay or subscribe for such a local news service.
The Regional Newspaper sector has
moved towards the low or poor content advertisement loaded “freebie” concept. These
are not succeeding because analysis has shown that the pages containing content
rather than advertising have to exceed at least 20% of the publication to
retain any sort of reader engagement. With the reader interest known to increase
as the content increases and the advertising reduces. So it is balance between
what gets printed on the page or displayed on the screen between content and
advertising. Content retains readership whilst advertising generates revenue
and inevitably survival.
So it was whilst I was walking
around Pershore, Worcestershire high street that I picked up yesterday a printed copy of the “Pershore
Times” (October 2024). Full colour printed on high quality
white paper with a large size of 22.5 cm (Width) and 32.0 cm (Depth) this was
an impressive free monthly Newspaper. What was most impressive was the amount
of interesting written content provided by a number of different enthusiastic
writers.
I thought this article below by Emily Papirnik was worthy
of inclusion to illustrate the point I am making.
In todays world many of us
find ourselves worrying about how others perceive us. This constant pressure to
fit in with peers, communities and environments can push us to change aspects
of our identity. In fact, some may find that they alter themselves so much in an
attempt to belong that they lose sight of who they truly are.
Adapting to our environment.
This phenomenon is particularly common in personal
and professional environments. Some people shift their personality or behaviour to manage work situations with more ease or efficiency, becoming
someone else just to survive in a particular role. At home, it
is not
uncommon for individuals to prioritise others’ needs over their own, playing the caretaker or peacemaker to ensure harmony. While these adaptations may serve short-term goals, they can lead to a deeper sense of disconnection from our true selves over time.
The chameleon effect.
We all do it – change our behavior, the way we present ourselves, or even our physical appearance
to blend in. This can reach a point where the question arises: ‘Who am I really?’ Many of us encounter this realisation when a significant life transition occurs. It could be a young adult leaving school or a parent experiencing an empty nest after their children
move out. During these shifts, individuals may feel lost, struggling to remember what they actually enjoy, or how they prefer to spend their time. In
these moments it’s common for people to revert to familiar past activities, not because they genuinely enjoy them, but because they were once shared with someone
else.
A scary yet liberating moment.
Such realisations can be scary. It’s the moment you acknowledge that you have neglected your own needs, wants and even passions. You may find yourself asking ‘What do I enjoy doing? – especially when no one else’s preferences or needs are involved. It’s not just a frightening moment – it’s a freeing one.
This time of self-discovery offers an opportunity to explore new avenues
of joy and curiosity, unencumbered by outside expectations. The important question
then becomes: ‘What fives you joy?’
Rediscovering Joy
This was the question I posed to one of my clients recently. At first, they had no answer. They began reflecting
on activities from their past but quickly realised they didn’t truly enjoy many of those things. This discovery marked the beginning of an exciting
journey for them, a process of investigation and anticipation, looking
forward to new possibilities.
Rather than feeling sad about the time lost, this is a moment to be curious.
What will you uncover when you look within? Ask others what they enjoy, experiment with new hobbies or pastimes and allow yourself
the freedom to grow into your own happiness. Rediscover what makes you you, and start living for yourself
once again.
There were a number of other
articles equalling this level of quality writing.
So significantly behind
this publication was a 4th Generation Local Printer who had obviously
embraced both technology and authorship. It works because it is truly “local”
in content with them publishing three more very specifically local newspapers.
Being monthly it allows for better time management and organisation in the
assembly of good content. It looks like they have retained regular local
writers to generate this content for free or by allowing them to delicately advertise
their product or service in the article itself or using the article footnote.
Looking at the file naming it looks like they are lithographically printed
rather than the more expensive digital printing. It is also built upon
consistently paid up regular local business advertising revenue. It appears
that a lot of the distribution is from stands sited in the local retailers. The
clever use of “reasons to keep” articles from the likes of churches, history
societies, local interest groups etc guarantee it has a shelf life rather than
immediately going in the bin.
This is an exceedingly
well thought through local business owned Regional Newspaper which looks to have on the face of it a long term future.
Now the big question is
how can something as effective as this be implemented right across the country
and not just in a few Worcestershire Market Towns and Villages.
Use this link to go to
the Pershore Times website where you can access this months Newspaper and view
previous archived copies. Even the design of the website is a masterpiece in
simplicity.
Details in the photo of
the Publishing Company. Hughes & Company and the genius Proprietor and
Editor Alan Hughes.
