The Rise of Digital News

Thank you to you our readers, advertisers and the community. Your support has been overwhelming. We could not have made it through our first year without your support and encouragement. DecorahNews.com is a 23 year-old local news brand. It was founded in an era when local digital news providers were not successful. It was also founded during a time when print news, as a business, was highly profitable. Times sure have changed. We were fortunate enough in 2023 to be called on as new owners and operators. Last month, we turned one-year old. Fortunately, DecorahNews.com has been around for over two decades. I've written editorials in the past about the decline of local news in the U.S. The rate of print newspaper closure is staggering. Even worse, journalists' jobs are disappearing due to publishers scaling back print days, moving distribution to mail, shutting down reporters' beats and ultimately shuttering entire print newspaper operations. For those still operating in the print news world, the economics are brutal. Every job (reporters, editors, ad sales representatives, office staff, etc.) has to be justified. Story assignments have to be sharp and must contribute to the overall satisfaction for the reader. Everything must be calculated. One small misstep will cause a downward tumble. Print news is not even close to the profit machine it once was. In our first year, we were happy to have added value to the digital local news brand that we purchased. We've invested in a strong newsroom. We place reporters in city, county and school board meetings. We cover adjunct committees- as many as we can- with the resources we have. Our readers value the coverage. It keeps an informed citizenry. The direct link between civil engagement and voting is information- thank you for inviting DecorahNews.com into your homes, offices, computers, smartphones and tablets. We publish feature stories, too, so readers are aware and can enjoy all the slices of life in Decorah and the surrounding area. Your local news brand must be a reflection of our community. We work hard to make the connection. We also invested in many new solutions for businesses and advertisers to fill open job positions, power up their promotions with advertising combinations to drive leads and new business and created new sponsorship opportunities, added newsletters, a community event calendar and created a new form of business promotion called Branded Content. It's all fueled by our growing audience of 200,000+ site visitors every month which generate nearly 600,000 monthly page views. Also, we've added a new obituaries experience and an online Decorah Marketplace for listing your classified ads. None of this would be possible without your support! If you read us once a week, try to log on two or three times every week. Join our newsletter list. Place a classified ad. All are great forms of support. Business owners: we need your support, too. Consider promoting your next sale or event with advertising on DecorahNews.com. Advertising rates are downright affordable. Looking to fill open job positions? Place your help wanted ad with us. Or, to get above the noise, consider investing in one of our premium ad positions or Branded Content. Times are changing. News is changing. Consumers have become and will continue to be more digital. Now in our second year, we look forward to your continued support. Let's keep local news objective, viable and strong in Decorah and northeast Iowa. Together, we can do this.