By: Daniel Nardini

With the Internet and with it Facebook and the iPad there seems for many people to be little relevance for printed newspapers the way there was ten or twenty years ago. More people than ever can access news from around the United States and around the world from newspaper websites that was not possible before. More than that, it is now possible for people to access newspapers through their websites from around the world to obtain information. Before people had to get the actual newspaper to find out what was going on. To actually obtain a copy of a newspaper from outside the United States could be a costly affair. The Internet has in many ways eliminated not only the cost but also the effort to obtain such information from wherever it might be from around the world.

While these technological advances have made the news far more accessible than was ever possible, there is still a good deal of relevance for not only local community news but also for printed newspapers. First, remember that not everyone has the Internet at home. Many people may have to use their local library computer to obtain the news, and that can be a labor for them. Many people after all have to work or be somewhere else. They may not have the time to go to the local library. However, it is possible for people to find their local printed community newspaper in selected points in their community that are still widely available in news bins, libraries, laundramats, restaurants, etc. Many people still find it convenient and comforting to be able to pick up their printed local community newspaper.

More fundamental, local community newspapers carry news about local community events not found in the larger city newspapers. The larger newspapers may cover events and some news in the various local communities. However, local community newspapers are strictly devoted to the communities they serve and those working on these newspapers do their utmost to go out and talk to people, do interviews, and gather information sent to them from the local community. Local news and activities are the lifeblood of local community newspapers, and they exist for that reason. Regardless of whether the information is in print or online, the local community newspapers cover local community news not available anywhere else. In an age where big newspapers and Internet websites seem to be offering more news than ever, there is still a relevance and niche for independent, small local community newspapers and outlets that provide people information about what is happening where they live.