As newspapers dwindle, residents in Hutchinson and elsewhere notice what’s missing
Joel Mathis’ article in The Journal paints a portrait of the newspaper industry within Hutchinson, KS, which has been shrinking for years. Locals are starting to notice it’s consequences.
The Hutchinson News transferred ownership in 2016 from a family-owned, Kansas-based chain to GateHouse Media, which is one of the largest publishers of local media in the U.S. Ever since, the paper hasn’t been nearly as robust.
James Taylor is an active member in the Hutchinson community and political scene, and he says the paper’s reduced circumstances have had noticeable consequences: fewer people know or understand what’s going on in city government, and newspaper ads for community events or groups aren’t as effective as they once were.
“It used to be everybody would get the newspaper, and the newspaper would be the way to get the word out to everybody,” James says. “We’ve talked to so many people who have dropped their subscription, so the newspaper is less reliable as a way of getting the word out.”
In today’s digital age, print readership is declining while online readership has been growing for newspapers like The Hutchinson News. However, translating that online audience into revenue is challenging, especially when big tech companies are also stepping in as news curators and advertisers.
In the 21st century, the newspaper industry watched its revenues decline by two-thirds as Facebook and Google came to dominate the increasingly lucrative online advertising market.
But if the challenges facing newspapers are primarily a business problem, it’s certainly not a new one. Despite their crucial role in their communities, newspapers have always faced tensions between making a profit and fulfilling the requirements of public service.
What’s happening in Hutchinson, Kansas is occurring everywhere else across the state, and even across the country too — newspapers are cutting staffers and outsourcing local functions (e.g. printing and design), while still trying to maintain local coverage. Mathis argues that when newspapers suffer, everyone loses:
- Fewer stories get covered, which prompts readers to abandon their subscriptions, which prompts further staffing cuts. It’s a vicious cycle.
- Political polarization skyrockets. “When voters have fewer opportunities to learn about local candidates, they are more likely to turn to cable news or simply vote their national party preference in local races, diminishing bipartisan voting.”
- With fewer local news stories, communities have less civic glue bonding residents together and to their neighborhood.
Read the full article at https://klcjournal.com/as-newspapers-dwindle-residents-in-hutchinson-and-elsewhere-notice-whats-missing/.
