Newspapers are dying! No one reads the newspaper!

The fact you are reading this is proof to the contrary. According to Pew Research Center’s 2024 news-consumption survey, the time spent consuming local news has remained steady for the past decade.

While the trend is moving toward more digital consumption of local journalism, the desire for — and more importantly, the need for — trustworthy local journalism remains as strong as ever. (Perhaps we need to drop the “paper” from “newspaper.”)

It’s true, large metropolitan and national newspapers have been gutted by the impact of the internet allowing for the easy dissemination of Associated Press (AP) news stories and other national news. Before widespread internet access, a newspaper in California could have the same national story as a newspaper in New York, since they did not compete for readers. On the internet, the reader’s location is irrelevant.

Local newspapers, on the other hand, offer a unique product and experience not duplicated anywhere else. No other news source has the familiarity with the community they cover, the experience of keeping local governments accountable, and the integrity and trust as local newspapers.

In addition to news, local newspapers build social cohesion by informing residents about local events, issues and developments that affect readers’ daily lives. Local newspapers’ reporting provides local government accountability, which keeps the public informed of developments, spending and decisions that have a greater impact on their day-to-day lives than national-government activities.

Local newspapers support small businesses by offering affordable and effective advertising options for businesses to use to promote themselves to the community they serve. Local newspapers also increase political participation, by providing coverage of local elections and political issues, which contribute to greater civil discourse, less political division and higher voter turnout.

Newspapers are so important to building a strong democracy, functional government and a fair and just society that the Founding Fathers enshrined freedom of the press in the Constitution as part of the First Amendment. No other business gets the same treatment.

A local newspaper is a business, but functions more like a public service for the good of the community. There is a bit of irony. As a business, it is responsible for generating revenue to cover its expenses, but it provides a key function of society like the postal system, courts, libraries and utilities. However, it lacks the financial support that public services receive.

While The West Volusia Beacon‘s revenue has increased over the past years, thanks to new advertisers, new digital advertising products for local businesses, and a steady increase in subscribers, the prices of newsprint, printing, and postage have outpaced revenue growth. This has led us to pursue other forms of revenue.

As we move to a more digital world, we look to new internet-based and traditional content creators for ideas. Other content creators like those who stream on Twitch, create podcasts, make YouTube videos, and organizations like NPR have realized the power of audience support. Many newspapers faced with rising costs have also successfully implemented audience-funded systems to allow their audience to help fund the important service of local news coverage.

The nonprofit Florida Press Foundation recognized the need to provide extra financial support for Florida newspapers, and created a donation campaign so that you can support The West Volusia Beacon and other participating Florida newspapers with a tax-deductible donation.

In the month ahead, we will be creating opportunities for you to learn how the newspaper gets made and who are the hardworking people who create the local news you and your community depend on.

Watch the newspaper and our Facebook and Instagram accounts for informative and exciting events and opportunities to become a supporter of The West Volusia Beacon. If you can’t wait to help out, you can click on the “Donate to support local journalism today!” button on our website or visit: https://bit.ly/support4beacon.

We look forward to serving you and the community for years to come through reliable and necessary news coverage.

— Jaeckle, who has worked for The Beacon since 2001, is the newspaper’s general manager.