Oct. 5-11, 2025 marked the 85th celebration of National Newspaper Week. Started in 1940 by publishers and managers of newspapers in the United States and Canada, the week-long event helps promote the local journalism industry.
The speed at which information flows in today’s age, propelled by technology advancements of the past 30 years, may, to some, make newspapers seem outdated and slow. Internet and social media have made it possible for anyone to share news and information within seconds of an event occurring to a world-wide audience. This, in a sense, creates a horse race that promotes speed rather than accuracy. But, the newspaper industry has seen similar occurrences before.
In the late 19th and 20th centuries, yellow journalism used sensationalism, exaggeration, and misleading stories to attract readers and increase profits, prioritizing dramatic headlines and scandal over accuracy.
Sound familiar? 21st century yellow journalism can be found on social media and cable news networks. A local example: Misleading headlines from distant Kansas cities to lure readers into clicking links bolstering page views and increasing online ad revenue. This frustrates readers and the bounce rate (how long a webpage is viewed) goes up once they realize it is not a local news story. Along with frustration increasing, trustworthiness goes down.
Only 18% of Americans say they trust news on social platforms, and fewer than one in four trust cable networks. But nearly two-thirds say they trust their local newspaper – more than double the confidence placed in most other outlets. Local newspapers have evolved to meet readers where they are – on websites, mobile apps, and email newsletters. What hasn’t changed are the standards. Accuracy, ethics, and accountability still guide the work. That combination of modern delivery and traditional integrity is why people continue to turn to their local paper. Those in the industry for the long haul understand by now that trustworthiness is more important than instantaneous attention grabbing.
The same trust strengthens the local economy with research showing consumers act on newspaper ads more than on ads delivered by TV, radio, or digital platforms. People see local business advertising as part of the same reliable package as the news. For a small business competing with national chains and online platforms, no other channel delivers the same impact. When residents trust the paper, they trust the businesses that support it. Those businesses not only promote their services but also make local news possible with their support.
How many ads do users see on social media for small businesses outside of our region? Golden Belt residents seeing ads for Kansas City or Wichita plumbing companies does not benefit customers nor businesses. The opposite is also true when residents in Wichita see ads for Great Bend and Hoisington businesses – a waste of advertising dollars.
Newspapers provide the facts that keep local civic life running: city and county budgets, school board debates, and elections that rarely make national headlines but matter most to daily life in our local communities. They also highlight the stories that make a community feel connected: high school sports, neighborhood events, new restaurants, and profiles of people who make a difference here at home.
Newspapers tell our story, important to the local people that live them.
- Andrew Murphy
