Thanks to rural Colorado, a fighting chance for small-town papers
When your small-town newspaper — your only source for local obituaries, local high school sports coverage, local everything — shuts down, what do you do? Well, if you live in Carbondale, Colo., you start your own from scratch.
I came across the Sopris Sun’s job posting for a full-time editor earlier tonight. A few more clicks and I found that story from the March 23 Los Angeles Times, and I’ve been fascinated ever since.
Could this be it? Is this the sustainable business model, at least for running a small-town, local newspaper?
It sure sounds good. The Sopris Sun’s status as a nonprofit keeps the focus on running the paper for the town’s benefit, not to line the publisher’s pockets. It’s a community service. Isn’t that why newspapers came into existence in the first place?
I really think the Sopris Sun’s founders may be on to something. Sure it’s a weekly, not a daily, and this is just one isolated case study, but it’s so darn intriguing. If I weren’t tied up for the summer, I’d send my application materials for the editor position in right now. Sure, the job would be a ton of work, and I’m merely a recent college graduate with little real-world experience, but I really think a fresh, young pair of eyes coupled with these experienced journalists’ know-how could make this business model work long-term.
Here’s hoping for a long and prosperous life for Carbondale’s new newspaper. Godspeed, Sopris Sun.
