Publisher vows to keep it local

Simply Sleight, by Kari Sleight

Balancing the content of this newspaper to meet the needs of our readers is one of the highest priorities to the Frontiersman staff. It is a duty we do not take lightly, and a topic of many discussions among staff. Determining what the needs of our readers are often proves to be the biggest challenge we face.

The Frontiersman has sustained significant growth in its 55-year publishing history, and this growth has brought about many changes in the design and content of the newspaper. Many of the changes during the years have been a direct result of reader and advertiser input, and while the changes were viewed as positive forward progress by most, not everyone in the community immediately embraced the changes, while some never have. We have received several letters from our readers of late addressing our "lack" of local news and imploring us to "keep it local." One writer even suggested our sole purpose in adding a third edition each week was to increase the advertising revenue. While revenue certainly plays an important role in our day-to-day decisions, as it does with any business, it isn't the sole reason we make the decisions we do.

Before we added the Sunday edition to our publishing schedule, we were often criticized for "always" printing old news. The way our deadlines are designed doesn't always allow for "late-breaking news" and front-page remakes. Our printing contractor has a work schedule to adhere to, and if we don't get our pages to them on time, they can't print the newspaper and deliver it back to us on time, which would result in our readers not receiving the newspaper at the time they are accustomed to. "News happens every day, not just twice a week" was a cry we heard on more than a handful of occasions.

We formed a readers advisory group more than a year ago. The group of 10 meets quarterly and represents a wide cross-section of our readers. When we first started meeting with the current group, we learned a lot from them, and started making many of the changes you see today. When we started planning the Sunday edition, this group was invaluable to us in steering us in the right direction. Adding some syndicated features and columnists was one of the ideas that came from this group. An idea we believe is a good idea, when used as it was originally intended.

The package of syndicated features and columnists we subscribe to were meant to enhance the news package of local, Mat-Su Borough news we have always prided ourselves on delivering to our readers. They were never intended to replace the articles on your neighbors, schools, businesses or local government. We haven't always practiced that philosophy in recent editions, and apologize for our shortcomings.

The syndicated material was added to enhance the local copy that remains our first priority. We remain committed to always putting local news first. This newspaper was founded and built on local stories that affect Mat-Su residents and we, along with our readers, are not prepared to change that rich tradition of local news reporting.

While we continue to believe the syndicated features and columnists do have a place in our newspaper, we understand they should never dominate any one of our three weekly editions. After all, our comics are a part of that syndicated feature package, and I learned a long time ago never to tempt fate by pulling the comics from even one edition. They will, however, continue to fill their role as originally designed -- to enhance or compliment the local news content of Frontiersman.

We understand that each of our readers is different -- not all are interested in book reviews, senior citizen news, the school district, local political shenanigans, recipes or the local band that signed a major recording contract; some even believe printing the comics is a waste of newsprint. But, we know that many of our readers are interested in all, or some of the above mentioned items, and that's why we will continue to include articles on those and other subjects in the pages of this newspaper.

If you are interested on serving on our readers advisory board, we are currently recruiting to fill the vacant seats of those whose term has expired. Our group meets quarterly at noon and meetings generally last about an hour. Contact this newspaper at 352-2250 for more information.

Kari Sleight is publisher of Frontiersman.