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Editor’s note: Cedar County News Publisher Rob Dump participated in an International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors conference last week in Brookings, S.D. About 70 journalism professionals from North America, the United Kingdom and Nepal gathered for the educational event at South Dakota State University. The editors, reporters, journalism professors and retired professionals took part in several workshops, lectures, tours and an awards banquet. This article summarizes a lecture, which addressed the role of small town newspapers in today’s evolving media landscape.
BROOKINGS, S.D. - Small town newspapers still have a vital role in America’s information ecosystem — if they can weather the growing storm of economic, technological and political challenges.
That was the message shared by Sterling (Kansas) College professor Todd Vogts during a Friday address to the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors on the state of community journalism. His talk was part of the group’s four-day conference at South Dakota State University, which brought journalists from several countries to Brookings.
Vogts acknowledged the “doom and gloom” that surrounds the news industry — pointing to shuttered newsrooms, ghost papers, political attacks on the press, and the threat of Al-generated misinformation. Yet after conducting more than 17 hours of interviews with 13 editors from rural weeklies across the U.S. and Canada, Vogts said he came away hopeful.
“It’s all about relationships,” he said, summarizing the key finding from his research. He found that despite having small circulations — usually around 3,000 — and limited staff, community papers remain deeply embedded in the lives of their readers. Most of the editors he spoke with still rely primarily on print — not because they fear change, but because their readers value the tactile, trustworthy nature of the physical newspaper. “In small towns, people don’t like change,” one editor told him. “If the paper doesn’t show up, it throws off the whole day.” Vogts’ study revealed two main themes: a strong community culture and a shared resilience. Community newspapers focus on hyperlocal news — covering everything from city council meetings and school boards to high school sports and human-interest features. Stories about student-athletes, for example, often ripple through entire communities, connecting multiple generations and households.
Still, the path forward isn’t easy, he said, noting rising printing and postage costs, declining ad revenues, time constraints and concerns about access to printing facilities.
But Vogts said what sets community journalists apart is their willingness to keep going.
“They remain resilient regardless,” he said. While a popular phrase these days is that newspapers are a thing of the past, Vogts disagrees.
“It’s not that print is dying. It’s that bad print is dying,” he said, pointing out that newspapers owned by large corporations and hedge funds often focus on profits over people. They cut staff, replace local content with generic stories, and fail to serve the communities they’re supposed to represent. As a result, readers lose interest, and those papers fade away.
In contrast, Vogts said small-town newspapers that stay connected to their communities are not only surviving — they’re thriving in their own way. These local publications still cover the city council, high school sports, local tragedies and triumphs, and community milestones like weddings and obituaries. They serve as a historical record, a source of connection, and a reflection of the town’s identity.
Vogts emphasized his study found people believe there is still strong demand for high-quality, community-driven j ournalism because it provides something social media and national news outlets cannot — local relevance and trust.
