Believe in community

Support businesses that support your local newspaper

By Lois Allen, publisher
Rockford has recently seen the shut down of one of their two local newspapers. The Rockford Independent, owned by Stafford Communications out of Greenville, Michigan, has ceased to cover and print Rockford area news. Rockford now has one local newspaper, The Rockford Squire.
Will Cedar Springs lose their one and only?
The Post has a great following of readership. We have over 1,600 friends on facebook (and a few enemies off). For over two decades, we have viewed the people of Cedar Springs through the eyes of a reporter, arriving at accidents and fires, attending city council and school board meetings, documenting historical tragedies, personal moments, growth and loss. We are a reflection of the stories and people that appear on our printed pages. We hear the voice of the people and we are their eyes and ears when they cannot attend meetings or events that may affect them.
The newspaper brings everyone together in good and bad times as one community. And this is a great little community. When a business places their advertising in the local newspaper, they are sending a message to you: “I believe in [this] community.”
However, like many small businesses, it is a fragile thing and is not immune from economic decline. The Post stands alone and is not owned or supported by a corporate body. It does not receive government grants or special tax breaks. It is like any other business. It has to make payroll, printing and it has to pay its bills. Each newspaper costs almost $1 to produce from start to finish. Truly, it’s no small feat we are still printing every week.  While some local newspapers may be thriving, we are struggling day to day to break even.
We are not asking for support from our business community in, around and next to Cedar Springs, we offer a SOLUTION for them. Utilize your local newspaper. We can be the first step in your business recovery.
We print 5,000 newspapers and distribute them to everyone. Our web site is open and available to anyone, which had more than 13,000 visits last week. Yes, that’s in just one week. The site had 8,000 hits in just one day alone. How can you not see a value in that? Maybe it’s still too small to attract big business, but what local business wouldn’t want nearly 20,000 potential customers (print and web combined) knowing they are here? Who else can offer that locally?
As our community grows, it draws bigger business. But big business doesn’t need the local newspaper. They have thousands and even millions in advertising dollars to run nationally or spend big bucks on direct mail advertising.
Small businesses should take advantage—you can afford the local newspaper! What better place to promote what you have to offer than next to the faces and stories of your customers?
We want to keep printing these stories and faces. We want to continue to document the heart and soul of Cedar Springs. And, if not enough see the value in it then they will surely lose it—forever. And so will the people of Cedar Springs. Imagine what Cedar Springs would be like without the Post.
If it was up to you (the readers) or me, of course, we want the Post to keep coming. But it’s not up to us. So I’m calling on all local businesses, doctors, lawyers, car repair shops, beauty salons, dentists, plumbers, electricians, tree farms, retail shops and anyone wishing to do business in Cedar Springs! Use this local paper. Spend some of your advertising dollars here. It’s the most American thing you can do.
We deserve our paper too!