The media award season -- a time for applause -- also highlights an irony of the fast-changing marketplace: the winners could be gone.

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On this day 89 years ago, the Hindenburg disaster in Lakehurst, New Jersey, shocked onlookers and resulted in 35 fatalities and dozens of injuries. It was a tragedy that accelerated the end of the age of the airship. It was also remarkably well photographed, and the nearly 90-year-old pictures, both still and motion, continue to captivate audiences.

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One week from today (Tuesday, December 16th at 6pm) I’ll be at my beloved local outdoor bookstore, Bart’s Books, for an interactive evening with fellow Ojaian and powerhouse cartoonist Shay Mirk.

We’re celebrating the publication of Making Nonfiction Comics, a comprehensive illustrated guide for everyone who’s ever wanted to tell stories about the world around us in words and pictures. (If you can’t make the event, that link takes you to bookshop.org where you can buy the book online.)

This beast is a collaboration between Shay and fellow cartoonist Eleri Harris and it is so!! good!!! In addition to Eleri and Shay’s hard-won expertise, there are also interviews and tips from so many big names in the field. You can learn about crafting everything from on-the-ground protest reportage to deep dive historical research to authentic personal narrative. This book is going to be the gold standard for years to come.

I feel lucky to have a brief cameo talking about running a community drawing night in Portland for several years in the twenty teens. Here’s a look at that:

If you’re in the area, do come by. I’m gonna show off some kelp farming comics, Shay’s gonna talk about making the book, it’s gonna be very fun. Ojai may be 80º during the day right now, but it gets chilly after dark, so bundle up! We’ll have zine templates for folks to fill out and fun slides to share and, knowing Shay, killer snacks.

Hometown newspapers are small businesses, just like the hardware store, the cafe, or the auto repair shop. They’re not just “media.” They’re employers, sponsors, storytellers, and neighbors, and their work ripples through every corner of the community. This year, collaboration is a focus of ours at SaveYour.Town, and I want to talk about how newspapers and local businesses can truly work…

Source

Journalists face rising threats while media ownership is concentrated in fewer hands, leading civil liberties group warns

Journalists in the EU face increasing levels of harassment, threats and violence, while news outlets are owned by a shrinking number of proprietors and public trust in the media has plummeted, a report has found.

The Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) said the findings of its fifth annual media freedom report, released on Tuesday, should place EU officials “on high alert”, with media freedom and pluralism “under sustained attack” across mainland Europe.

India's most celebrated photographer, Raghu Rai, who spent more than five decades documenting the country, has died.

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Hometown newspapers are small businesses, just like the hardware store, the cafe, or the auto repair shop. They’re not just “media.” They’re employers, sponsors, storytellers, and neighbors, and their work ripples through every corner of the community.

This year, collaboration is a focus of ours at SaveYour.Town, and I want to talk about how newspapers and local businesses can truly work together. Both sides bring value. Your newspaper can be an incredible resource for your business, and your support helps keep local journalism strong.

Use Your Local Paper as a Valuable Resource

Share Your Press Releases 

Newspapers still do something better than almost anyone else: they get local information in front of local people. When you’ve got something to share—a new product, an event, a success story—send a press release to every paper you can: your hometown, nearby towns, and regional outlets.

A good advertising department won’t just print your story, they’ll help you build on it. They might mock up ads, stop by your business, or help turn that small piece of news into a bigger presence. Local stories and local advertising work hand in hand, keeping attention, dollars, and pride right where they belong: in your community.

If they don’t do this automatically, you can do it yourself: mockup your own ad and ask about it when carrying the press release.

Photos Make that the Newspaper Make Everyone Smile

In one small town, the local newspaper ran photos of everyone who bought a seat in the Save the Webster Theater fundraiser. People cut out their pictures, shared them, and proudly showed them off. That’s the magic of local journalism—it celebrates people, connects neighbors, and turns ordinary moments into community pride.

No social media algorithm can do that. Only someone who knows the people and the place can.
What could you do like that in your community?

Newspapers Fit in the New Way to Market

Marketing in newspapers used to be the way to reach your audience. Now, it’s part of a mix that includes social media, email newsletters, and websites. Successful newspapers have adapted; they’re publishing both online and in print, meeting readers where they are.

Your local paper might even offer digital ads, social media promotions, or direct marketing campaigns. Those “new ways” are built on the trust and relationships newspapers have earned over decades. Going digital doesn’t replace print—it expands your reach while keeping your connection local.

Collaboration, Not Just Ads

Your hometown paper already captures the heartbeat of your community—business updates, church events, reunions, and celebrations. Now’s the time to think about how to collaborate more deeply.

How can your business and your newspaper co-create campaigns, share stories, and build relationships that last? When you work together, everyone benefits. The stories are richer, the economy is stronger, and the sense of pride runs deeper.

Supporting your local newspaper is part of “shop local.” A town that values its local news invests in its own future. When local media lose revenue, you feel it—in fewer stories, less coverage, and fewer opportunities to connect. Supporting your paper means investing in your town’s voice—and your business benefits from that, too.

How Newspapers Can Be Better Local Businesses

Tell Your Own Story

Newspapers can strengthen their community connection by telling their own story. Don’t assume people know what you do—show them.

• Share the range of what you cover, from birthdays and sports to civic meetings.
• Introduce your team so readers can connect faces to bylines.
• Celebrate your achievements and update readers on what’s next.
• Use your website and social channels to share more stories beyond print.

Many of you already show up at council meetings, Friday night games, and ribbon cuttings. You share obituaries, honor rolls, and community milestones—let us know where to find those stories online, too.

Make It Easy to Work With You

A simple “Work With Us” webpage or one-sheet can make advertising easier for local businesses. Include who your readers are, which sections perform best, and when seasonal peaks happen. That turns your newspaper from “a place to buy ads” into “a partner that helps small businesses grow.”

Here’s what could go on that page or a simple one-sheet:

• Who reads your paper: top age ranges, key ZIP codes, and the most popular sections.
• When they read it: weekday vs. weekend audience.
• Which sections work best for which audiences: weekend features for families, sports for local fans, business page for professionals.
• Seasonal spikes: back-to-school, holidays, elections, big local events—so advertisers can time their campaigns.

Go Deeper with Small Businesses

Small businesses and newspapers need each other. Let’s move beyond “Do you want to buy an ad?” and instead ask, “How can we work together long-term?”

Try things like:

• Basic ad-planning sessions
  • Sit down with businesses and help them:
  • Define their ideal customer using your readership data.
  • Choose the right sections and days.
  • Set a realistic frequency so the message has time to work.
• “Track-with-us” packages Don’t just run ads—help track what happens. Include:
  • A clear call-to-action (bring in this coupon, scan this QR code, visit this URL).
  • A unique coupon, QR code, or URL for that campaign.
  • A simple tracking sheet or shared dashboard.
  • A short results review at the end: what worked, what didn’t, and what to try next.
• Reader surveys for advertisers. Run occasional sponsored questions like:
  • “Where do you shop for gifts?”
  • “Which restaurants do you visit most often?” This engages readers and gives advertisers insight they cannot get from a generic online dashboard.

These steps can turn newspapers from simple ad vendors into trusted community partners and problem-solvers.

 Shop local is even more important these days. And that includes your local newspaper.

Jack Thornell, the Associated Press photographer whose picture of an assassination attempt on civil rights activist James Meredith in 1966 won a Pulitzer Prize, has died.

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