Cape Gazette thankful for strong readership

Last Sunday, the Cape Gazette sponsored a screening of the documentary “Storm Lake” at the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival. “Storm Lake” tells the tale of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Storm Lake Times in rural Iowa. In addition to stressing the importance of independent newspapers and the vital role they play within their communities, the film focuses on the trials and tribulations of operating a local newspaper in today's challenging environment.

Most people are aware of the fact that declining print readership and lack of control over digital revenue has caused major disruption and loss of income for the majority of local newspapers. But even the organizations that have managed to maintain their readership face unheard-of inflationary pressures in the form of paper and printing costs, as well as extraordinary price increases put in place by the U.S. Postal Service.

Opportunities exist, such as the Community News and Small Business Support Act, and the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, that would counteract some of the inflationary pressures and improve the situation for many local media companies. Not only would these bills provide relief to existing local newspapers, they would also embolden independent journalists to reestablish themselves in communities that have otherwise been deserted. Studies have shown that communities without a local news source experience increased taxes, higher rates of corruption and lower voter turnout. We are a society that can't afford this continued loss.

The difficulties encountered by the Storm Lake Times and many others in our industry serve as a reminder to those of us here at the Cape Gazette about how fortunate we are. We've been blessed with loyal subscribers who keep our readership growing. Robust advertising partnerships with local businesses grant us the ability to keep our award-winning newsroom staffed to provide the Cape Region with unparalleled coverage.

As we head into the holiday season, we here at the Cape Gazette would like to express our sincere gratitude for your support and assistance in keeping the communities we serve civically strong, informed and engaged.