Almost anyone who knows me knows my passion for (and/or has had to endure my rants about) local journalism and newspapers. I was a journalism major in college. Journalism brought me to Dubois County, Indiana — where we currently live (and have lived for nearly 23 years). Our local paper, The Herald, where I worked from 2000 to 2009, was sold to a larger media group, based in Kentucky, in 2020. I vowed to continue our subscription, because I believe in local journalism. I also have never really lived life where newspapers weren't a regular part of my daily life — heck, I even wrote for my college newspaper during those in-between years of early adulthood. Recently, however, The Herald was downsized to a three-day-a-week publication (and a **significant** decline in quality since the summer of 2020). It's the latest in a three-year string of cost-cutting moves. Long gone are the days of an internationally-award-winning newspaper. In its place is a shell of a once-great product that, I believe, served this area so well people took it for granted. This brings me a good deal of pain. I know that may seem silly to some, but, this is actually a depressing day for me (hence working out my thoughts and feelings with this post and letter). Below is my letter to the paper detailing my cancellation. I realize the world is changing and, perhaps, I need to get with it and change, too. But, maybe, it's not just me.
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing this today to let you know I am canceling my subscription to The (Dubois County) Herald. You can probably stop the letter here, but, just in case you continue to read, below are some reasons for this very difficult decision that I need to get out. Indulge me, if you will.
I arrived in Dubois County in November 2000 to work as a copy editor and page designer at The Herald, intending to stay a year and move back closer to home below the Mason-Dixon line. Myriad reasons kept my wife and I (and, later, our children) in Jasper/Dubois County since then, but The Herald — and my time there — helped me learn about the people and places that make our communities what they are. I learned how to spell and pronounce names like Neukam, Knies, Gramelspacher, and the various incarnations of Uebelhor. I also learned The Herald was unlike any other newspaper I had ever seen. The commitment the staff showed to telling the stories of local names, local places, and local faces was unparalleled. Whether our residents and readers realized it or not, it was a bit of glue that held the community together and helped us understand one another just a little bit better. When I left the paper on the last day of 2009, I left with the satisfaction that I had contributed positively to our community. I also became a paid subscriber right away.
When the paper was sold nearly three years ago, I vowed to stick with it, as I believe in local journalism. I believe in the role of media as a watchdog, as a source of much-needed truth in a world of lies, spin, and distortions. I know the ever-changing staff of the paper has attempted to keep up the good fight of local journalism, but my frustrations with the product have only grown day-by-day since the sale. I’m absolutely aware of the challenges of making money in the newspaper world these days. We (the public) are as much to blame as anyone for the demise of local journalism. We are content to read half-baked opinions and half-truths on our friends and family’s posts in our Facebook feed. We demand quality without being willing to pay for quality. We care more about irrelevant national stories that dominate our culture wars than we do about “boring” stories that actually affect our day-to-day lives.
With that reality in mind, in my opinion, Paxton Media has also continually gutted The Herald — from its first day as owner laying off the vast majority of the news and once-award-winning photo staff to its most recent move to downsize the paper to a three-day-a-week publication. As a (perhaps, too idealistic) believer in local journalism, the lack of quality control in the paper has become unacceptable to me. From a rational perspective, I even understand the dilemma Paxton faces, financially. Obviously, finding a way to stay financially solvent in the journalism business is extremely difficult in 2023.
As you can see, this is short on solutions and long on frustration. I am in my mid-40s and I have read a newspaper since I first began reading. Perhaps this is just part of life and mid-life with which I must come to grips. I have newspaper clippings galore in keepsake boxes (thanks to my mom). I am having two front pages from historic events framed to hang on my wall at home. I have three (relatively iconic) Herald photos hanging on the wall in my office. Newspapers have always been a big part of my life. It brings me no satisfaction and, frankly, a great deal of frustration to cancel my subscription. But, here we are.
If you’ve read this far, I appreciate your time. As my wife has reminded me for at least a year or so, I keep paying $16.50 a month to be angry at the loss of The Herald’s quality. With all due respect, I will no longer do so. Please cancel my subscription.
Sincerely,
Daniel Ross
Jasper, Ind.
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