It’s not very often the newspaper makes headlines, but in weeks to come, some innovations at the South County News are breaking news. “We’re very excited to announce the expansion of our online newspaper platform at southcountynews.org,” announced Editor Kathy Oswalt Forsythe. “We’re launching a more extensive, user-friendly website that allows us to provide timelier updates while getting more interactive with our readers.”
Thanks to a generous grant from the Vicksburg Foundation, Forsythe and her staff have been able to enhance and strengthen the role and presence of the newspaper online. “This has been a long-term goal,” Forsythe said. “Expanding our reach and coverage allows us to be more responsive to our communities, especially those readers who prefer to access news online.”
Among the upgrades is a free, interactive community calendar. Vicksburg Foundation Trustee Katie Grossman said, “The South County News is an ideal central, online source of information about what’s going on in our community.” The community calendar includes a submission form for local residents and organizations with family-friendly news to share about community-based events.
The new and improved website was built by Pair of Ducks, a Kalamazoo-based design firm with ties to SCN trustee and graphic designer Justin Gibson. “Justin is a creative problem-solver,” Forsythe noted. With input from the SCN team, his team widened the web presence with more pictures, features, sports scores, local news, classified advertisements, and announcements. Kimm Mayer, owner of Vicksburg’s Gilbert & Ivy Booksellers is especially excited about the online calendar. “There’s so much going on in this area. We’ve got our own full roster of special events and book signings year-round,” Mayer noted. “An online community calendar will make it easier to schedule events cooperatively as well as participate in more of them.”
One very important aspect won’t change. “We will still publish our traditional South County News in print each month, and it will continue to be distributed to all the usual places and subscribers,” emphasized Kathy Forsythe. Superintendent of Schools Keevin O’Neill will remain an avid reader of the print version but looks forward to accessing new features online. “In order to stay relevant, the South County News needs to have an updated, modern website,” O’Neill said. “It is a vital, trusted, and invaluable resource that this community relies on to keep us informed, support our local schools, and bolster small businesses in this area.”
The weight of that responsibility has increased since the newspaper was launched by community organizer Sue Moore and colleagues in 2013. Newspaper readership is higher in the 50-plus age category, which means subscription dollars aren’t growing with the younger demographic who are digital natives. “This project was necessary to move us forward. We are actively striving to engage a younger audience that accesses news and information via a screen,” Forsythe said. Several innovations are targeted to this group including a standing invitation to join the cause. “Hopefully, some budding journalists and writers out there will take us up on the hot-linked callout to contribute their content to southcountynews.org,” Forsythe said.
Despite the greater accessibility, innovation, and interactivity, all at no cost to anyone visiting southcountynews.org, it’s hard to say if the online expansion will provide enough additional income for the South County News. Forsythe admits, “Only about 5% of community members who receive the paper make a financial contribution. Printing costs have risen dramatically while subscribers and advertising dollars haven’t made up the difference.” SCN trustee and treasurer Wes Schmitt conceded to certain financial realities that have come with the times: “There will be fees to post announcements, classified ads, and obituaries. This has become standard for community papers, and we really are a community newspaper,” Schmitt said. “If we are to continue, it’s ultimately up to the financial support of our community members.”
