As newsrooms around the world shrink, says the editor, individual journalists at small papers like the Chronicle are forced to do more, and some stories may fall through the cracks. But this, he says, is no reason for worry. Instead, it is a call to action for the community.

“Community newspapers provide a service that no other media can by understanding the history and habits of an area. And this is why community input has become so crucial to the success of a community newspaper,” says the editor.

The piece goes on to urge readers not to be afraid to approach the newspaper, even if a story does not always develop out of their input.

The Chronicle’s attitude embodies bottom-up, grassroots community journalism, in stark contrast with the top-management down style of large publishers who own multiple publications. Do these small, community papers know something the bigger papers don’t? Will a focus on citizen journalism and community be enough to hold them through the emerging changes in media?

One thing is certain: Small local papers tie together communities in ways larger papers often can’t. “At one moment, they are a snapshot of a particular moment in time, whether through a photograph or a play-by-play analysis of a sports event,” says the editor. “Sometimes they are a forum for ideas. The newspaper is the place where themes that loom large in a community can be explored from different directions. Sometimes newspapers are a watchdog.

“But ultimately, community newspapers can do nothing without the active participation of their readers.”

Source: BCNG through Google Alert