Milestones (OPINION)

Recently one of our staff members attended the annual conference of our California News Publishers Association (CNPA) in Los Angeles.

It was encouraging to be assured that newspapers are alive, well and thriving in the Golden State.

With over 250 members, the CNPA is one of the largest newspaper associations in the country and provide credible influence in their communities.

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The association reported to its members that community newspapers play a vital role in keeping residents informed in their own hometowns.

This is true in Santa Clara County as we have witnessed the metamorphosis of our regional paper transition to a broader and more general scope of the news. This evolution has created a spurt of growth for community newspapers over the past decade as readership and advertising has increased by over 100%.

While internet providers have captured copious volumes of regional, national and international news, communities have relied on their local publications for information about their own hometown.

The CNPA also reported about polls and studies they have completed which indicate that 78% of adults read their community newspaper–spending an average of 22 minutes each week.

Another interesting observation was the trust level ranked higher for community newspapers than regional and other publications.

In this era of fake news, which is propagated by rapid proliferation on the internet, publications that “put it in print” are held to a higher standard by their constituents.

Putting it in print does require a higher level of integrity and factual representation.

Community newspapers also cover items of interest for their readers, including city events, sports, society, non-profits and local politics which is difficult to obtain via the internet.

It was also interesting to learn that community newspapers are read on average by 2.4 residents per household and the paper remains in the house for more than 4 days.

The Santa Clara Weekly has published continuously under several names in one fashion or another since the mid 1800’s.

We are proud the Santa Clara Weekly has been chosen by former City Councils as the official newspaper of our City.

We appreciate your “letters to the editor” which are always acknowledged and published when they meet our printed guidelines.

Our pledge to you as a resident is: we will continue to be a publication that covers Santa Clara news, report factually, honestly and with integrity.

We may not always agree, and as adults, we may disagree and still find ways to work toward mutual improvement of our community.

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