On East Main Street in downtown Lexington there is a little blue house. That’s us. We love our location, close to O’Hara’s Bakery, Old Mill Brewpub, several spas and many other small businesses that are an important part of Lexington County’s small business community.
I’ve heard it many times: “Lexington County loves its small businesses.” I’ve heard this too many times: “I shouldn’t have to pay to read the newspaper.” And this: “The newspaper should publish this.”
I have written about many small businesses. I have learned about their humble beginnings. Their past and present struggles. Their stories.
The common thread in all of their successes is public support.
And readers love those stories. They find small business startups inspiring.
The Lexington County Chronicle is also a small business. But I know some people are a little disappointed with our small beginnings.
We are a newspaper that changed to the new leadership in 2021. We are very grateful for the first business and the publisher, but in this new issue, we must work tirelessly to quickly join this digital world. , and we have a way to go.
I was sitting in a meeting of the Lexington County Council on November 22, 2024, when I heard the following from a member of the council: “I also attended the Award Banquet of the Lexington County Fire Department a few days ago. … Many good points were given for what should be reported by the newspaper. I feel like if you save someone and you save a life, it should be in the newspaper, but I’m not in the newspaper and I don’t write articles, but something should be there news. report on so the community can see how well our first responders work together as one unit to help make Lexington County better.
I disagree with that sentiment. It’s a great story to tell, but our ability to be in many places at once is limited.
I have never worked in a community where few leaders subscribe to the newspaper. Instead, they tell me things that are often covered.
This is an industry standard; I know it’s not just the Chronicle.
Newspapers in the country, whether new or small, established and growing or old and in need of change, rarely develop the respect or love of other small businesses in their beginnings or rebranding.
This may be due to the growing distrust of the media. Every business has bad seeds that fuel the fire of distrust; not specific to newspapers. My business is failing. I know that. Things are hard, and so are you. And I wish nothing more than to continue to support good apples in your business.
What makes the Chronicle (and many other community newspapers) different from national TV or most news outlets is that we are local. We live in your community with you, so we want our community to prosper just like you.
America’s Newspaper Receives 2023 Local Newspaper Survey by Coda Ventures 87% of newspaper readers feel they have a responsibility to help shape the future of their community.
That is the reason why communities benefit from national news. Local newspapers need community support. Communities need good writers living in their communities. Who shops in your stores. Who send their children to the same schools you take yours to.
Here’s from my mentor and editor of our sister paper, The Sumter Item, Kayla Green: “Without a local news organization, its people have little access to valuable information. Simply put. , they don’t know what’s going on around them. Whether it’s information about candidates in an upcoming election or policy information being made at town meetings. and school meetings or information of high school sports, lists of upcoming events that you can bring to the family or profiles to people and organizations, the more you know, the more you can because you will make wise decisions for you and your family.”
The Chronicle has three full-time writers, including myself.
Three journalists want to shake your hand, look into your eyes and hear your side of the story.
But the three journalists, no matter how interesting, how impatient, how ignorant and hardworking, it is not enough to publish everything you care about – I worry there – in a large district.
I am proud of the work we do. The aim is to provide you with informed, accurate and precise information on your concerns so that you can make informed decisions for your well-being, your family and your workplace.
Also, we want to expand our identity in the community so that members of the council or residents who want to see something in the paper that is not there, they can feel free to call me, or one of my awesome writers, and let us know. .
There is no pipeline to get our story ideas. Usually, we don’t know anything if you don’t tell us. We won’t know about the Lexington County Fire Services Award Banquet until you tell us.
But like every other small business, we couldn’t do it without your support. Your contribution. It is your choice to publish with us. Your story ideas.
It is a privilege, not a right, to have so many wonderful small businesses in our community. You may not like to hear it, but local news is a blessing, not a right, either.
Bryn Eddy is editor of the Lexington County Chronicle.
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