We’ve all heard about newspapers’ imminent demise…about how the internet does much of what a paper does, but better and faster.  How the internet affords, for a content provider (like someone running a classified ad) a vastly greater potential audience; and, for a content viewer (like someone looking to buy something) infinitely more options.  How the newspaper, as a physical medium, is limited; it chooses and adjudicates; it makes editorial choices (such as what geographical range to cover in its content).

In my work here at the Cultural Center, I’ve come to value and appreciate this very quality in newspapers.  At least those newspapers that embrace it.

Of course, I realize that folks looking for options in arts, entertainment, and social events can easily turn to the web–sites like SocialWeb.Net do a great job of helping patrons access and sort through the vast array of events in our area–or to social networks, where personal recommendations from acquaintances and friends accomplish the same purpose.  And, of course, we at the Cultural Center do our best to make our events as present in those realms as possible, with some success.

But the good old newspaper still provides a more consistently fruitful source of patron inquiries and, ultimately, attendance at events.  I’m not talking about advertising, which (sorry, newspapers) has yielded us little return.  I’m talking about content: articles, community listings, and those helpful “best bests” and “top picks” of things to do and places to go.  People read those, and they use them.  When they are available.

Why, when a flood of information is just a click away?  Back to my thesis about newspapers–the limitations of that physical medium, and the selection and adjudication they impose, are helpful in this respect.  Some Arts and Entertainment or Lifestyle editor who knows about the regional scene has selected a subset of worthwhile options–they have designated a few as somehow special–maybe those selections are unusual, or of great quality, or particularly timely–who knows?  What matters is that we have a manageable top-ten to choose from: and in a format we can cut out and put on the fridge or in a purse.

And I think there’s something more to it than manageability and portability.  We know that hundreds or maybe thousands of our neighbors are reading that same article or top-ten list that very same morning.  We are “in the know” about the events that will be talked about and attended.  We are part of a community.  Not the vast, geographically-disconnected community of the internet, but the limited audience of the local or regional paper.

In this respect, the newspaper is still a strong community-builder, and an indispensable source of information about community events.  Some newspapers, like the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, understand that role very well.  They’ve introduced a lovely Thursday pullout section (“Go!”) that helps people plan their weekends, in which they feature interesting stories related to weekend events, and highlight their picks for the week.  They’ve also begun a slightly edgier email alert of upcoming events (“The Weekend Starts Now”) that accomplishes a similar editorial function.

The Telegram and Gazette seems to understand two things: 1. substantive arts coverage helps to support artists and venues while providing a valued service to patrons; and 2. people will buy the paper (or subscribe to related digital services) for that very purpose.

The Telegram’sarts pages have certainly helped the Cultural Center gain traction.  And they continue to help patrons find out about us.  Of course, not all our events are highlighted there, but when they are, the results are significant.  Just recently Richard Duckett wrote a lovely article about our new season, and about the exciting production of The Rivalry we’re presenting.  The Telegram is thus able to develop the kind of content they know readers are looking for; the Cultural Center achieves greater visibility for its (very) nonprofit programming; and the public is made aware of a new and growing cultural resource in their region.  It’s community-building, and it works for everyone.

By contrast, other newspapers in our area are shrinking from this role.  Tim Kane, editor of the Ware River News, has informed us that they will no longer include our events in their community listings–instead, they ask that we purchase advertising space for all our events.  Mr. Kane indicated that this was a new policy at all the Turley Publications.  What policy?  Why would a local newspaper exclude information about events at a significant cultural venue in their neighborhood–one whose mission is to help people connect to arts events locally and affordably?  I tried by email and multiple telephone calls to get some answers from Mr. Doug Turley, but with no response.  The fact that Turley Publications owns dozens of local newspapers in this area means they are able to block information about free or affordable cultural and educational events from thousands of residents of rural Central Massachusetts.

Conversely, they are also able to be a valued source of information about those events; a community-builder, helping local folks connect to avenues for entertainment and learning that they would otherwise miss (what about the thousands of people without high speed internet connections?).  Why not do this?  Who loses?  No one!  Everyone wins–the newspaper that becomes the go-to source for cultural event information; the venue struggling to provide those opportunities at an affordable cost; and, most importantly, the public that welcomes the kinds of opportunities we provide.

I’m hopeful that Tim Kane and Doug Turley will see the critical and lively role their newspapers can play in fostering a thriving local cultural scene.

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