North Carolina community paper closes

Mount Airy community newspaper closes

By Andy Matthews
Amatthews2007@yahoo.com
www.yadkinvalleynews.com

MOUNT AIRY — A community newspaper that was established more than two years ago in response to the multimillion dollar acquisition of The Mount Airy News and The (Elkin) Triune has closed up shop.
Executives with The Messenger, an ambitious startup that began daily publication in July 2007 with the support of a prominent local investor, made the announcement Monday afternoon.
For the rest of the story, go to:
http://www.yadkinvalleynews.com/home/Latest_News/Entries/2010/1/5_Mount_Airy_paper_closes_shop.html

 

A sobering reminder that even if done with the best of intentions, this is no time to be starting a print publication (see also: Detroit Daily News, The). Also that it's not as slam-dunk easy as I think we think it is.

 

Over-under on any of these seems to be six months, so two years is impressive.

 

We started up 14 months ago, and it has been tough. But we also knew it would be tough. It can be done. One of the key things is to start small and keep expenses as low as possible. I would LOVE to have more staff in the office aside from my unpaid intern. My wife would love that too, especially with some big changes in our household. But you have to stay within your means. Before we started fall of 2008, a pilot decided to start a paper in this town. He had no clue what he was doing and spent money like it was going out of style on new computers, staff and an elaborate phone system. Soon he ran out of money and cut staff, then abruptly shut the doors in early 2008.
With both the Detroit Daily News and this paper in NC, I notice them starting out as dailies. That is real tough, especially if you don't have the expenses and/or staff in place for that.