What’s a newspaper’s most valuable asset?
People.
You.
Yep, I’m talking about all of you who are reading this column right now.
If we didn’t have people to talk to for stories, people to send us announcements, people to buy ads, people to send us news tips, people to read our newspaper, people to subscribe to our newspaper - what would we be?
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We’d be nothing. We wouldn’t be in existence without you. So thank you; you are appreciated!
Subscribers to our newspaper have declined since the earlier days of the Pine River Journal and Lake Country Echo. Think of all the changes to our industry in those years, including merging to become one broadsheet newspaper - the Echo Journal - not to mention the internet.
We’ve also seen changes in corporate ownership. Forum Communications Co. is our parent company. While we are one of the smaller newspapers in that ownership, I have taken to calling us “small but mighty.”
We’ve rolled with the times and with the changes. It hasn’t been easy and without stress over the years. But we’re still here. Our goal remains to bring our readers - our subscribers - news of the northern Brainerd lakes area, from Nisswa to Hackensack, and Pequot Lakes to Crosslake.
We strive to bring you news that informs and entertains. News that matters. News you want to and like to read.
We still offer a weekly print edition of the Echo Journal. For many, that’s enough. It’s all they want.
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We want you to want more. We need you to want more.
Have you gone online to www.pineandlakes.com to read our e-papers and other stories published online that aren’t in your print edition?
I’m an avid, longtime fan of the printed newspaper that I can spread out on my coffee table and physically turn the pages. But I’m also becoming a fan of e-papers. Every page is so bright and colorful. Check it out.
And the best part is that you can visit www.pineandlakes.com every day of the week - Sunday-Saturday - to read an e-paper of seven to nine pages of a mixture of state, national, world, sports, business, home trends and entertainment news.
It’s a quick way to get so much important news from a trusted source, along with fun and informative stories. I enjoy the weekly quiz of about five questions from the previous week’s news items. Some stories I read top to bottom, others I just scan.
I’ve come to love it as a way to stay up on the news.
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I’m pleading once again for our subscribers to activate their digital subscription that’s free as part of your print subscription. Our parent company set a goal for us to reach a determined number of digital subscribers in April, and we’re almost there! It'd be a win for us and a win for you, so what are you waiting for?
Follow the steps online to access our digital stories and e-papers. You’ll get all our content - including “members-only” features from columnists who write The Last Windrow, The Cracker Barrel, From the Lefthand Corner, As I See It and Inside the Outdoors - plus so much more.
Help us stay “small but mighty.” Or help us grow to possibly become “medium and mighty.” I like the sound of that.
And to those loyal subscribers who read our print edition each week, and to those who have already activated their digital subscriptions (again, it’s free with your print subscription!) - thank you so much.
Without you - people - we wouldn’t be able to continue doing what we love to do. That’s bringing you the ads, along with news, feature and sports stories of the northern Brainerd lakes area.
Help us to be able to continue to do so by supporting local journalism. Subscribe, and activate your digital subscription.
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Nancy Vogt may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.
