“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”
I think for the PPB and all of us really, we could not have a more poignant or relevant quote that describes 2024, or 1859, when Dickens published this passage in “A Tale of Two Cities.”
The closings of small hyperlocal papers, layoffs, cutbacks, mergers and potential mergers of large newspaper chains – it is true that today, we’re experiencing a crisis in news and information. As local newsrooms have disappeared across America and in Colorado, communities have witnessed fading civic engagement, eroding social bonds, surging misinformation, and dwindling governmental accountability.
You have heard me say before that when local newspapers shut their doors, communities lose out. Who covers our personal stories? What happens when politicians take liberties and it’s no one’s job to hold them accountable? What the public doesn’t know winds up hurting them. Our region feels poorer, politically and culturally. And how can you trust what you’re reading nowadays?
In a recent interview, my friend and publisher of the Colorado Sun Larry Rickman states this: “The key for those outside of New York and Washington will be to intensify their focus on local, on problem-solving, and on bringing understanding to complex issues in chaotic times. News organizations that emphasize quality over quantity will stand apart from the aggregators and wire-heavy sites that lack a connection and relevancy in people’s lives. Success and sustainability are tied more closely to reader loyalty than to viral hot takes and page views.”
I agree!
Even at the PPB, in the last year, some readers have disengaged from the news. We are all looking for trustworthy journalism. Print is declining and social media seems to be in a dog-eat-dog competition for making sure you consume “their news” from the many news sites! It really seems like the season of darkness and the winter of despair!
But is it really? I am leaning into that spring of hope in 2025. I am grateful for so many things! To be able to provide you, our readers, supporters and advertisers what you tell us is the “best paper in the Pikes Peak Region.” I am grateful that we are growing in these very challenging times of figuring out how to fund and sustain day-to-day operations, let alone future sustainability.
I am most grateful to those of you who are reading this right now. Our focus is connecting with you, telling your stories. We are listening to what you want in and out of the PPB. That connection with you fuels our small, dedicated staff. I am grateful for them and blown away daily by their commitment. I am thankful that our digital presence will grow in 2025, enabling our publication to reach even more folks in our coverage area. I am so grateful for collaboration in 2024 and into 2025 with other local news organizations such as Rocky Mountain PBS, the Colorado Sun, the Times Recorder, Colorado Newsline, the Colorado News Collaborative and the Institute for Nonprofit news. How will these key partnerships and platforms help guide us into the changing times of 2025 and beyond? Will we be able to remain the sense-makers and authentically report on and engage with our local scene in these best and worst of times? I know we will!
This is where you and I engage on a mission. This is our time to act, to hold the powerful accountable; to ask the right questions; to honor inspiring human stories; to celebrate arts and culture; and make a difference where we live, work and play. Together, we can keep our communities informed, cohesive and healthy. Now more than ever is the time to read, subscribe, support and advertise with the PPB. Before 2024 runs out, participate in the local Give! Campaign, Colorado Gives or just go to our website, PikesPeakBulletin.org, hit the donate/subscribe tab and help the PPB continue to be your source for trusted homegrown journalism. I wish you the best for the holiday season and a very Happy New Year.
