Never lose sight of the fact that your community newspaper is valuable and should be regarded as a local treasure

Chip Hutcheson

Apr 1, 2025

Be encouraged that your newspaper provides valuable information that no one else does. It holds accountable any unscrupulous people in positions of power who seek their own self-interest. It guards against unwise decisions by alerting the public to what government entities are planning to do. It chronicles the successes of students in schools while giving tribute to those who have lived and served well during their lifetime.
Hutcheson

Those of us who grew up in the days of black and white TV will recall the Western shows where the good guys wore white hats and there was always a happy ending.

One of my favorite actors from that era was Gene Autry, known as the Singing Cowboy, who crooned the lyrics of “Home on the Range.” That’s a place where “where the deer and the antelope play, where never is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day.”

Never a discouraging word? That doesn’t seem to be the case in today’s newspaper world. For the past 25 years, there has been much talk about the demise of newspapers. Declining profit margins, decreased staffing, crippling postal rate hikes — you name it, and discouragement abounds.

Pub Aux columnists Kevin Slimp, Robert Williams and others provide helpful monthly ideas, as well as encouragement. The desire is for you to escape the discouragement that is so rampant and be encouraged in the crucial role you play in your community.

Never lose sight of the fact that your community newspaper is valuable and should be regarded as a local treasure. The principle that “you don’t realize what you have lost until it is gone” certainly applies to newspapers. Just ask someone who has lost their community newspaper, and they’ll give testimony to what a tragedy that loss has been.

Be encouraged that your newspaper provides valuable information that no one else does. It holds accountable any unscrupulous people in positions of power who seek their own self-interest. It guards against unwise decisions by alerting the public to what government entities are planning to do. It chronicles the successes of students in schools while giving tribute to those who have lived and served well during their lifetime.

Now, whether you are a publisher, editor, ad manager or serve in any other role where people look to you for guidance — be encouraged that you are making a positive difference in your organization and community. You might not get frequent accolades for what you do, but don’t let that discourage you.

If you are bothered by the circumstances faced in your newspaper routine, that in itself puts you a position of feeling insecure. That can negatively impact how you lead others and how you succeed in your specific job function. Here’s some encouragement on how you can diminish any insecurity.

• Seek and implement the ideas of others. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to generate all the ideas. Some of the best ideas in my newspaper career came from my wife, my children, guys I played golf with and fellow church members. They all wanted the best for me and the newspaper, and they were far enough removed from the day-to-day operation to provide valuable insight and ideas. Also, your co-workers can be relied on to provide creative problem-solving solutions. If you lead people, be aware that no leader is right 100 percent of the time.

• Give credit to others. Make a daily habit of recognizing the work others around you perform. Draw attention to the accomplishments of others and you will not only be an encouragement to them, but it also will result in your insecurity level decreasing.

• Help others better themselves. That is especially true with younger folks entering the workplace. Point out ways they excel, but look for ways to help them grow in their profession. I still remember some of the reporting lessons I learned in my first job — tips that are still helpful to me today. I’m thankful for the veteran journalists from the early 1970s who invested in me — not to tell me what to do, but how to do it the best possible way.

• Take the blame. When things go awry, don’t throw co-workers under the bus. Nothing instills more confidence in co-workers than you bearing the brunt of a mistake or criticism. As a publisher, there were times when someone didn’t like the way we reported a story or the way we designed an ad. But in those situations, it’s best to respond with “we” rather than “they” when fielding a complaint. You can address the situation with your co-worker in private. That concept of being a team will result in co-workers being loyal to the company and confident that you “have their back.”

So, be encouraged today. Don’t let naysayers get the best of you. Make a positive difference to your staff and community. Former NFL Coach Tony Dungy said it well: “People’s lives should be better because of the influence you have had along the way.”

 

Chip Hutcheson is the retired publisher of The Times Leader in Princeton, Kentucky. He was NNA president in 2015. He currently serves as a content strategist for Kentucky Today, the online news website of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. Email him at chiphutcheson@yahoo.com