Dear Editor (and Readers),
Usually, I write these things when I am angry or somewhat miffed at one thing or another.
Usually, that’s what it takes to motivate me to share my opinion in written form. Rarely, of course, in the newspaper, as the newspaper is supposed to be neutral, and being the head of it meant keeping my opinions to myself.
But as everyone already knows, or at least most people know, as of this publication, I am no longer the servant of news, the steward of the written word, the “Watcher on the Wall.”
Nope, I am just another publisher in a long line of publishers who failed at their duty.
Now, I don’t write that because I feel sorry for myself but rather to embrace reality. This isn’t a “poor me”-type editorial, but rather a deserved account of what happened — the telling of the truth to those who deserve to read it. Those who not only stuck by the newspaper through its trouble, but those who continue to prop it up with their continued patronage and support. That, for which, I am eternally grateful.
First and foremost, let’s get a few things out of the way that will immediately put some whispers to bed. One, did I buy the newspaper from Scott and Miriam? Yes, I did, but I did so in a way that they held the note on the business and property. Instead of using a bank, they became the bank, or what’s known as an “owner-carry.” This usually involves specified terms detailing the time length in which to pay it off and some sort of downpayment.
Secondly, am I independently wealthy? Such an odd thing for people to be curious about, but the answer is “no.” In fact, I am more poor now than I was a year and a half ago by a substantial amount. When I decided to approach this idea of owning and running a newspaper, I did so knowing I didn’t have the capital. I went to a couple of close friends of mine who understood the vision and believed in the importance of local journalism – so much so that they decided to become silent investors in the venture. They put their own personal money on the line for the future, knowing it was a risk and that newspapers didn’t make money. They believed the purpose was more significant than anything else.
The reality is that everyone involved in this last year and a half had the same goal. While selling the assets, paying off the note and closing up shop would have been an easy solution to the money problems. It didn’t meet the standard that we all desired. Sweet Home first! Keep the news and history of our beloved town alive and well. That goal hasn’t changed, hasn’t been altered, and is still the same today as it was then and has been since 1929.
Now, let’s get to the meat and potatoes of the situation – what you all have kept reading for.
What happened?
Well, to be honest, a lot. There wasn’t one thing that totally caused the failure in the machine, but rather many smaller things that totaled up my failure to keep up. It’s like a death by a thousand cuts. Small and meaningless by themselves, but together, I’m bleeding out on the floor in the fetal position.
To start, the lack of revenue is what did me in. If you would look at it from a cursory point of view, that is the reason for the failure. But if you are a subscriber or an avid reader, you would ask yourself, how is that possible? You raised the subscription price substantially right out of the gate. And you would be correct. I did.
I raised the rates to a point where they would cover about two months out of the year’s entire run costs. You would have to read one of my previous editorials to know this, but I’ll write it here again for those who don’t know. If I handed you a newspaper today, I’d be giving you a five-dollar bill. It costs us roughly about five dollars to produce a single paper. We produce almost 2,000 a week. Now, I was able to cut things back and shave some expenses, but it was still a hefty ask. Especially since we only sell it for $1.50.
The other things that help make up the difference are advertising, legals, inserts, print jobs, and classifieds. That’s in order of highest to lowest. When I took over, I was thrown into chaos instantly. Between staff leaving on multiple fronts – some from my own decision and others that I had zero idea about until it was too late.
We started by having one of the busiest summers, as far as news goes, I have ever been a part of. It was definitely an “all hands on deck”-type of scenario, and honestly, half my hands walked away. Now, I don’t blame them, and that’s not what this is about.
It was my job to facilitate and instill the goals and ideals of the newspaper into the people who worked for me. Or to find people to fill the voids. I failed to do that. I didn’t clearly communicate what we needed to accomplish and didn’t inspire people enough to follow me. Hand up accountability; that is 100% on me.
So, while trying to figure out the staffing issues, there was a fall in advertising revenue. Was it because of staff or lack thereof? Was it because I was new or didn’t have a relationship with business owners? Was it because the economy was in the toilet?
All of the above. The answer to most of this seems easy: Go out and do it yourself. Sure, but we also had lost a 40-plus-year veteran reporter and the stories and relationships that go with that. So, I was down on the reporter side and down on the advertising side right from the start.
Thus, the juggling of the balls started. I would be out of pocket if I didn’t give credit where credit is massively due. The staff that has stuck by me through thick and thin have spent the last year and a half picking up the slack in a big way, especially right out of the gate. Those people hold a special place in my heart.
And don’t get me wrong, in the scenarios where others have left, they did for the right reasons. It’s what they needed to do, and I am 100% happy for them and OK with it. I don’t blame them in any way, shape, or form. However, their exodus left a void, that isn’t anger, hate, or anything like that; it’s just reality.
So, new business owner, down staff, filling gaps where I could, and attempting to right the ship.
Insert the next ball: Production prices increase. So while I’m trying to find a reporter, trying to find someone to gap-fill sales, making sure the paper is full and out on time every week, now, it costs me more to do so.
Did I mention that I was also developing two new web platforms, an online bill pay/accounting platform and doing an office renovation? No? Oh yeah, so that as well. Arguably, it’s my fault; actually, no, it’s 100% my fault. I tend to pile it on. What’s a little more weight? It’s no big deal.
So fast forward a month or so – I’m not 100% sure because its all really just a blur to me. I’ve landed a new reporter and a new sales rep, and things are chugging along, but slowly. Some big stories come up, and we get to do some more in-depth investigative stuff; I’m still working on developing and office stuff while gap-filling, but I’m getting the hang of it a bit. Insert notice here. The reporter I just hired gets a great job opportunity and can’t pass it up. 100% agree. Go back two spaces.
Now, I know this exists in other industries, but for journalism, the pool of available talent is small. You may not know this, but writing a story that is 600-800 words long, with quotations from sources, correct information, no bias, and interesting enough to keep people reading is easy. Doing it six to 10 times every week isn’t. Oh, and we need photos as well – don’t forget that.
So, just hiring anyone off the street is a recipe for disaster unless his name is Sky, but I only got one of those. The rest can’t keep up with the flow; they insert bias because they write how they are taught in school, not how you are supposed to. For example, if I tell you there is an accident on Highway 20 and Pleasant Valley, you think oh, car accident. Wrong; accident implies no guilt or no fault. That may not be the case. Someone may have been at fault. So, one little word in common usage can change the perception of a statement, let alone a story, in an instant. Hence journalists.
So finding them is tricky because the industry is dying, and most journalists leave three-quarters through their career for a public relations job or something of the sort. That job pays substantially higher, usually with state or county benefits. So, hiring seasoned reporters is out. That leaves young newbies left to slaughter, and well, 97% that come out of journalism school are, um… let’s just say they aren’t looking to move to the warm embrace that is the red bastion of Sweet Home let alone immerse themselves in the local culture. Long story short, most journalists either can make way more money elsewhere or don’t want to move to a small town filled with conservatives. So the hiring pool for The New Era is, um… small.
Now, I am trying not to go on and on as we are reaching the limits of available space, but essentially, my tenure here has been filled with trial after trial. Filling gaps instead of focusing on singular areas and building some significant processes and systems that will continue. Fighting against law changes that impact our bottom line, having a total of nine threatened lawsuits for publishing the truth. Countless conversations about why newspapers are dead, all while combating that idea and trying to keep myself and the rest of my staff focused on success and delivering the best possible newspaper we can every single week without fail.
Second recap: It was tough, with lots of chaos and lots of challenges – you get the point. Ultimately, it was just one too many cuts, and we reached a point where, if I continued, the likelihood of failure just amplified. I wasn’t willing to risk the future of the paper on my perceived dreams, so I did the thing that everyone hates to do.
I walked into my former boss’s office and told them I had failed.
Twice. The fantastic people I bought the business from and the amazing people who fronted the cash. Both who dreamed with me, who wanted nothing but success and to see the paper grow and flourish. To see the dream of small-town news make it in a world where it’s failed time and time again.
I’ll end with this: I know I failed, and I blame no one but myself. I’m sorry I failed Scott and Miriam, I’m sorry I failed my friends, I’m sorry I failed my staff. Most of all, I am sorry I failed you. I had big plans, big dreams, and high hopes. In the end, I couldn’t level up enough to succeed. To be a good steward of your newspaper, and I apologize. I am grateful to every last one of you. You stuck with us and believed, and I will forever appreciate your faith.
The paper is back in solid hands, and with an outpouring of support from the community, it will continue—bigger, better, and stronger than before. It just goes to show that when there is a need, Sweet Home delivers.
Chris Chapman,
Former Publisher
P.S.: To my people, Sarah, Jessica, Kristine, Chelly and Casey. I love you guys. There is nothing I can say that will express my gratitude for what you have done. I am so thankful to have gotten to work side by side with some of the best. I have left a little “gift” for you, to show my appreciation for that one thing you did that one time way back when.
P.S.S.: Am I still invited to The New Era Christmas party next year? I have one hell of a white elephant gift!