“The same world spins around,
I guess some things never change.”
— Song lyrics by Tim McGraw, American country music artist
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“The newspaper business just isn’t what it used to be,” a good friend called to lament last week. Like me, he’s had that printer’s ink in his veins since the time we learned to write about the world around us.
“Yes, it is,” I disagreed sharply. “Different opportunities and tools with digital and all that stuff, but it’s still the same business.”
“Enlighten me learned one,” he laughed. “I’m not feeling it today.”
I reminded him that it’s first, still all about people and what matters most to them. Keeping readers informed and earning their trust. “Schools, taxes, elections, local issues, the economy, politics, fairs, ribbon cuttings … only the names in the news have changed.”
“It used to be fun, though,” my naysayer retorted.
“It still is,” I touted him. “For instance, anyone tell you lately you need to be tougher. Write about ‘the way things really are’ in this town? Then, the same day, you get a call from a reader who opens up on you, blasting an article you ran last week that ‘was too harsh.’ Tells you, ‘Some things just don’t belong in the paper. It would help if you were a little gentler with the people who live and work here. I’m ready to see some good news for a change.’”
Been told by anyone from the senior population lately, “You should do more articles about our seniors in the community. They really are your biggest readership, you know. They deserve more coverage.” Then told the next day by a parent who is active in parent-teacher organizations that you should publish more school news. “All you ever have is things about the senior citizen’s gatherings and the historical columns about how things used to be. Our future depends on the young people.”
“I think I see where this going,” my friend said.
“Anybody walked into your office lately, picked a paper up off the counter, flipped through it before paying, and say, ‘Is there anything in here worth reading this week?’ You want to tell him, “We only had enough advertising for ten pages, but we ran 14 because we value our dedication to delivering all of the news.”
But you hold your tongue instead, and even manage a smile. Because it’s all about them. The readers. Not us; we merely report it.
“Does your phone still ring with one of your best advertisers saying, ‘Hey, my boy got stopped for DUI last night. You know kids will be kids,’ he laughs. ‘Do me a favor, will you. And keep his name out of the paper.’ We still take a deep breath and say, ‘if a name is on the records, it will be in the paper. If it’s not on the record, it won’t be in the paper. Simple as that and we can’t make exceptions because playing favorites is not fair and balanced journalism, and that’s not an option with us.’”
“That’s not fair,” they still growl.” You’re going to ruin his life.” We apologize and humbly suggest that, yes, it really is fair. Because we don’t make the news, we simply strive to report it fairly. For everyone.
“You know how much I spend with you, don’t you” he asks? “Well, cancel my advertising. See how fair you think that is.” Click.
We take a deep breath and walk up front to greet the advertiser who is waiting to see us. The one who greets us with a smile and says, “That ad you did for me this week looks great! Can I get a half-dozen copies of the paper? I want to put my up in the store where customers can see it.”
“Sure,” we tell them, and hand him a dozen copies with our thanks. “What do I owe you,” he says, sticking his hand in his pocket. “Nothing,” we wave him off. “We appreciate your business.”
I reminded my friend that we’ve been through this scenario, and more, since we first got into this business, and we’re still going through it today. Because we believe in what we do and we don’t know of anyone else who will do it if we don’t.
“So, you see,” I concluded. “Nothing has really changed.”
That’s supposed to cheer me up”” he asked?”
“Yes, but if not, think about this. The total strangers that still tell us they like the paper because we put out a good product. That we do a good job reporting the news. Aren’t those still the ones you remember the longest?”
“Like the guy at the gas pump a couple of weeks ago,” I continued. “Didn’t know him from Adam. We made eye contact from opposite sides of the pump. I nodded and said, “Hello.”
He replied, “I enjoy your columns and I enjoy reading the paper every week.”
“Thank you,” I told him. And added how much I appreciated his support.
Then there’s the little lady who came in yesterday to renew her ”prescription,” as she called it. “I just love getting the paper,” she smiled. “I wanted to make sure mine was paid up.'”
I thanked her with a smile and told her how much I appreciated her reading the paper.
“So, you see,” I told my colleague. “It’s still all about people and what matters most to them—keeping readers informed and earning their trust. Only the names in the news have changed.”
And more than ever, appreciating the ones who appreciate what we do.
—Leon Aldridge
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Aldridge columns are featured in these publications: The Center Light and Champion, the Mount Pleasant Tribune, the Rosenberg Fort Bend Herald, the Taylor Press, the Alpine Avalanche, the Fort Stockton Pioneer, the Elgin Courier, The Monitor in Naples, and Motor Sports Magazine.
© Leon Aldridge and A Story Worth Telling 2024. Excerpts and links may be used, provided full and clear credit is given to Leon Aldridge and ‘A Story Worth Telling’ with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.
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