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Next week is National Newspaper Week, and we come today not to bury the industry but to praise it.
If you are reading this, or any of the stories and advertisements in this edition, then you have a love or appreciation for newspapers. You realize that in most communities the newspaper is the only way to learn about who has died, who is getting married, who made the honor roll or dean's list, who is serving in the military. It's where to go to know what your city and county governments and school districts are doing.
You turn to the newspaper for a myriad of reasons, from sports scores to classifieds to community news. People get mad at us, become disappointed in us. They call when their papers are late or when unfavorable news is published.
National Newspaper Week is a time to remember and cheer the role our profession plays. Newspapers are not disappearing. Yes, times are tough, and many, including ours, have suffered. But while it is a challenge, newspapers are here to stay.
Our commitment to local reporting and community news has not changed. On any given day, most of what people know about their community started from a newspaper story. Most of the real watchdog reporting today is still being done by newspapers. Not from blogs or destructive websites, but from newspapers.
We take our First Amendment role seriously. Newspapers are still doing the stories that make sure that the public's business is done in the open.
When you combine our print and Internet, newspapers are reaching more readers than ever. Through it all, print remains the preferred choice. There is something special about holding a paper in your hands and perusing the pages in search of a story or ad that draws you in.
Newspapers remain a remarkable value. Keep this in mind: You can't put a TV story or radio broadcast on the refrigerator or in a scrapbook.
We celebrate this week because we are worthy of celebration. Curse us, ridicule us, complain, gripe, fuss. That s OK. It means you care.