That’s always been our model
by Melanie Jongsma, Publisher
LANSING, Ill. (October 6, 2022) – The Lansing Journal has never put our news behind a paywall — and we never want to. Community support makes it possible for us to provide free news for everyone.
In the past five years, The Lansing Journal has developed a reputation as a solid, reliable source of information. We report on decisions made at Village Board meetings, accomplishments by our local students, and new businesses and services coming to town. We’ve created videos that showcase our local parks, our local restaurants, our local schools, and our local cultures. We have documented our history as well as current events.
We’ve been able to do that because of you, our readers and supporters.
Newspapers are closing — but not in Lansing
Erin Karter of Northwestern Now summarized a report by Medill’s Local News Initiative. “Between the pre-pandemic months of late 2019 and the end of May 2022, more than 360 newspapers closed,” she reported. “Since 2005, the country has lost more than one-fourth of its newspapers and is on track to lose a third by 2025.”
But The Lansing Journal has grown. We have more readers now than we did five years ago. We publish more articles per month about more diverse topics.
We can do that because our support has grown too. In October of 2017 we published the names of six supporters who had responded to our request for help. Five years later we count nearly 600 people who have contributed to keep this newspaper going.
Informing and connecting — because of reader support
Why is that important? Medill’s study and others show that communities without a newspaper tend to be poorer and less educated than other communities because “The lack of reliable local news compounds governance issues that make communities less efficient and prosperous. One study suggests government costs increase when local newspapers shutter.” (Source: Axios)
In other words, without a local newspaper, people don’t have the information they need to address problems, find solutions, and hold government accountable.
Reporting is expensive — supporting doesn’t have to be
As a reader of The Lansing Journal, you turn to us for information you can trust. And you trust us because our reporters are local people who attended our schools and churches, who shop in our grocery stores, who bike our streets and bike paths. These are people who care about what happens here.
They are sharing important information, and we want everyone to have access to it, regardless of ability to pay.
But this only works if people pay what they can. We do our best to keep costs low, but reporting the news is expensive.
Supporting the news doesn’t have to be. You can give at whatever level you’re comfortable with.
We need your help to keep free news free
For The Lansing Journal to continue serving this community, we need continued community support. If you have never contributed to this local newspaper, would you consider doing so now?
If you love Lansing and you want to continue to be able to tag your friends in the stories we share on social media, will you support the work we are doing?
If you are in a nearby town that doesn’t have its own newspaper, would you invest in The Lansing Journal, your closest oasis in the news desert?
Consider giving monthly
At this point in our growth, we especially need more monthly supporters. Even $5 or $10 each month goes a long way to sustain this newspaper.
But if you aren’t able to make that commitment, we still could use a one-time gift at whatever level you’re able.
Please help us continue to tell the stories of our community. Please help us provide free news for everyone.
Click the button and choose how you can help:
P.S. We’ve never had a paywall, and we want to keep it that way — but we’re counting on your support. Will you help us provide free news for everyone? The button below makes it easy to give: