News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
More than 40 years ago, The Nugget Newspaper started putting a newspaper in every mail box in Sisters Country — for free — creating a universal community connection that everyone in Sisters had easy access to. A common source of celebrations, grieving, and being “in the know” of what’s happening in Sisters. The newspaper’s revenue came solely from advertising — a business model that has been successful over a couple of generations.
But things are changing. For one, there are a lot more mailboxes in Sisters Country than there were 40+ years ago. And the cost of producing a newspaper — from printing to postage, fuel, and keeping the lights on — has climbed significantly in recent years. Advertising revenue alone can’t keep pace with those costs.
It’s no secret that today’s media environment is challenging. It’s seriously disconcerting to see newspapers disappearing from communities across America. Thanks to our loyal advertisers and a community that genuinely appreciates engaging with their community newspaper, The Nugget remains standing. We have a roster of supporting subscribers whose contribution helps to fund our stable of freelance writers and photographers. Our advertisers continue to partner with us, because they know that advertising in a well-read and highly valued newspaper works. When businesses advertise locally, readers shop locally.
We cannot and will not simply pass on increasing costs to our community partners, who are also faced with skyrocketing costs of doing business, which adversely impacts their advertising budgets. We’re all in this together.
And we have to adapt.
The Nugget Newspaper will continue to be a “free” publication, maintaining community connection. However, in order to sustain our economic viability, The Nugget is going to start charging delivery cost for mailbox subscriptions — not as an additional revenue stream, but as a means to recoup ever-increasing costs. This new model will begin November 1 with the post office boxes in Sisters, and will expand to other neighborhoods.
In addition to all the local businesses where you’ve always been able to pick up a free Nugget, the post offices in Sisters, Black Butte Ranch, and Camp Sherman will also have Nuggets on a rack or counter where you can grab a copy with your mail. And we’re working on expanding distribution points. If you are a business owner not currently receiving Nuggets and would like to, email [email protected]. If you are interested in being a neighborhood ambassador, call Lisa at 541-549-9941 to discuss the opportunity.
The Nugget is also available to read online anytime, including as a flip-book publication that you can download to your tablet or eReader. If you’d like to be notified weekly when the eEdition is ready to read, email [email protected] or give us a call.
If you want to continue receiving The Nugget in your mailbox, we’ll ask you to pay a modest delivery charge — a whole month for about the cost of one fancy coffee. Visit http://www.nuggetnews.com/subscribe to see options for monthly, annual, and auto-renew subcriptions. Or stop by the office with a check.
Making this change will go a long way toward helping The Nugget sustain itself and continue to serve our readers with quality local news coverage, interesting features and columns, and community connectivity for many years to come.
Jim Cornelius
Editor in Chief
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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