The 85th annual National Newspaper Week, celebrated this week Oct. 5-11, is a good time for readers to take a look at how their local newspaper helps keep them connected to the community they live in.
Whether it’s covering the stories and events that matter to the community, helping local businesses advertise, publishing important public notices, or acting as a watchdog for local government, the Vilas County News-Review and Three Lakes News benefit the community in a lot of different ways.
Dean Ridings of America’s Newspapers penned an essay for National Newspaper Week put out by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. In the essay, he notes that with more people citing a lack of trust in “the media,” local journalism only becomes more and more important.
“Polling data shows that only 18% of Americans say they trust news on social platforms, and fewer than one in four trust cable networks. But nearly two-thirds say they trust their local newspaper — more than double the confidence placed in most other outlets,” he said. “In an era when anyone can post anything online, that clarity makes newspapers stand apart.
“The same trust strengthens the local economy. Research shows consumers act on newspaper ads more than on ads delivered by TV, radio, or digital platforms. People see local business advertising as part of the same reliable package as the news. For a small business competing with national chains and online platforms, no other channel delivers the same impact. When residents trust the paper, they trust the businesses that support it,” Ridings said.
Carolyn Ritter, a longtime resident and subscriber, supervisor on the Vilas County Board, and treasurer for Shields Road Condominium Board, shared what she enjoys about the newspaper after more than three decades of reading.
“My husband, Ted, and I moved to the North Woods in 1986 and shortly after that we bought a subscription to the Vilas County News-Review. Now, more than 35 years later, we still continue to renew our subscription, as the newspaper is a viable, important news and information source for us,” she said.
Just recently, thanks to what Ritter called the News-Review’s “pertinent, timely local and state news with in-depth coverage,” the Vilas County board was able to get background information on a bill moving through the legislature and decide if it was something the county should support.
“In a recent issue, there was a news story about the effect of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and the negative effect they were having on local, independent pharmacies and area residents. As a direct result of that news story, the Vilas County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution to support Senate Bill 203, designed to control the PBM businesses and prevent the multitude of problems that have been reported,” Ritter said.
She also highlighted the newspaper’s coverage of school issues, notifications and sports when their children were in school as something that was important to them as parents. Ritter further indicated the coverage of town and county meetings helped provide understanding and awareness on issues happening in various communities.
Reporting has also helped her in her career role as well.
“We manage a resort condominium, and the timely information about events was extremely helpful because we could share that detail with visiting guests. While some information is available on chamber websites, I found it more convenient to look through the newspaper where it was easily accessible, no matter the time of day, and easy to share,” she said.
“The most important aspect of the News-Review is the way it makes us feel connected to the communities in the North Woods, not just the town that we live in.”
And it’s not just readers who benefit from having a quality newspaper, either. Nonprofit groups, businesses, clubs and organizations can see the difference publishing their stories or purchasing ads in the News-Review can make.
Starting as manager for DeByles in downtown Eagle River in 1980, Pokrandt used the News-Review as a critical tool in reaching the community. Since then, he has leaned on the newspaper to promote a number of nonprofit organizations he’s been involved with, including the Cranberry Fitness Walk-Run-Ride and Klondike Days. Most recently, in his work with Feed Our Rural Kids (FORK) Pokrandt said the organization was transformed from just an idea into a thriving, necessary resource for families.
“Consistency is the key to being heard. Week after week the News-Review carries our organization’s message across the North Woods, talking to the people who may need our help, and to those who have the resources to help FORK in our mission to feed the kids. It is the ability of the News-Review to communicate to the community that makes it an invaluable tool for any business or organization with a message to share.”
Calling the local newspaper the “heart and soul of our North Woods community,” Pokrandt continued on to say that while other communities with local newspapers struggle to put out a quality product, our hometown paper continually wins awards for its excellence.
“As a community we have a lot to be proud of, and the Vilas County News-Review is on that list! I can’t imagine a day when we don’t have a hometown newspaper. For over 40 years I’ve looked to the News-Review for what is happening in our community. It has never let me down,” he concluded.
Trees For Tomorrow (TFT), a nonprofit organization in Eagle River, has seen a boost in attendance when they publish ads and editorial stories to promote upcoming courses and events.
“The Vilas County News-Review plays a vital role in helping Trees For Tomorrow reach our community,” said Diane Gunderson, creative and marketing director for TFT. “When the paper runs stories about our programs and events alongside our advertising, we consistently see stronger turnout and engagement — it truly boosts the performance of our communications efforts.
“Beyond that, their partnership extends to supporting our Golf Fundraiser through reciprocal in-kind services, which helps us stretch our resources further. The visibility and support we receive from the VCNR allow us to inspire more people to connect with the outdoors and our mission of environmental education,” Gunderson concluded.
As part of National Newspaper Week, Carolyn Nolte, chair of the 2025 National Newspaper Week and president/CEO of the Florida Press Association, recently called local journalism “the heartbeat of informed communities.”
“Local reporting empowers people with the information they need to make decisions in their everyday lives — from voting to attending town hall meetings. In addition, a thriving local media presence can support small businesses through advertising and partnerships, thus strengthening the local economy,” Nolte said.
That continues to be true in northern Wisconsin, where the News-Review has maintained a strong readership.
Boasting a year-round subscription base of more than 3,400 readers and an average weekly press run of 4,700, items put into the Vilas County News-Review and Three Lakes News get a lot of eyeballs on them each week.
Those are impressive numbers when the national rhetoric continues to be that “print is dead.”
While it’s true the industry as a whole and the News-Review have seen their fair share of troubles — from staffing cuts to increased printing and shipping costs to shipping issues with the United States Postal Service — the News-Review continues to strive to bring quality reporting to its readers.
“It’s been a rough couple of years with a glut of retirements, staff losses, a change in ownership, and implementation of entirely new systems, but the team we have now is working on rebuilding confidence within the Vilas County community,” said Editor Michelle Drew. “We’re striving every day to tell impactful stories and cover community events that make a difference for the people who live here.”
The editorial team is composed of Drew, Lifestyle Editor Christina Brandmeier, and Sports Editor Jacob Heid.
With the rise in internet use and social media advertising leading to alarming drops in classic staples like the Classified section and advertising in general over the last two decades — locally, newspapers remain popular among residents and those with summer homes here.
“While many assert that newspapers are a dying medium, our experience with the News-Review in Vilas County suggests otherwise,” said Mike Hollihan, general manager of the Vilas County News-Review. “Vilas County has the second oldest demographic in Wisconsin, and many residents still enjoy receiving a weekly print newspaper in the mail.
“However, we also recognize that news consumption habits are evolving, particularly among younger demographics who prefer to access news online and through video content.”
Hollihan believes as daily papers become more expensive to put out, the future of newspapers lies in a weekly print edition combined with a daily online presence, both focused exclusively on local news, arts and entertainment, and sports.
“We are actively targeting younger audiences by producing video interviews with high school athletes, which we share on our website, Facebook, and TikTok,” Hollihan said. “This video content has been highly successful, with many interviews and game highlights garnering thousands of views.
“This strategy not only keeps the younger generation informed about local community events but also helps build our brand with them, fostering a connection that we hope will lead to future subscriptions to the News-Review.”
Thanks to new implementations, Hollihan is optimistic about the future of the News-Review and hopes to become the central hub for community information in Vilas County to keep the community connected and well-informed.
Editor Michelle Drew noted that one of the most important aspects of a community newspaper is having community engagement.
As more and more of the younger demographic turn to social media to report their upcoming events, it gets harder for the newspaper to find those story leads.
Drew has worked at the News-Review for a little over seven years, and said she has seen a big shift in the amount of content that comes in from the community in that time.
“As more of our businesses change ownership to a younger demographic, I just don’t think newspaper advertising is on their mind in the way it once was,” Drew said. “Vilas has always swung a bit older in its demographic, and those people were brought up understanding that the newspaper was how announcements were made. Now we have Facebook and Instagram where everyone can post anything instantly, with no deadlines, and I think we just aren’t on their radar as much anymore.”
She’s aware that it is a hard platform to compete with, but insists the difference between getting instant feedback that is oftentimes incorrect versus trusting trained people to track down the information is a big one.
“It’s amazing to me how many times you see people asking for basic information on Facebook, like ‘What time does this business open?’ and they get so many different answers. And that gulf only widens when you see bigger questions being asked that have more of an impact, and then responded to with sarcasm or assumptions.
“The difference is, our reporters here go to the source and ensure they’re getting the most accurate answers to questions. When you read it in the paper, you’re getting the facts, not speculation.”
Ultimately, social media is not going anywhere, and can be a good tool when used in tandem with quality journalism.
So how can readers support the newspaper? Obviously the most rudimentary way is to subscribe to either a printed or digital version of the newspaper. But advertising has always been the bread and butter of the newspaper industry. Businesses and other groups can lend their support by purchasing ad space to get the word out about upcoming events or announcements, which in turn allows for additional editorial space.
Nolte recommends that people in the community support the future of local journalism by sharing their stories and encouraging young reporters. “Schools, libraries, and civic groups can also play a role in educating the next generation about media literacy and the importance of a free press,” she said.
Drew said one of the biggest and best ways to help is by engaging.
“We cover a large swath of the North Woods with an editorial team of three — it’s just not possible for us to be on top of everything and be everywhere. So if you have an event coming up, tell us! If you have a phone in your pocket, snap some pictures and send them in!
“Community newspapers rely on just that — community support. That means sending in announcements of life events, writing a letter to the editor, or emailing us the picture of your kid or spouse with their trophy fish or buck. It all adds up to putting out a good paper for our readers each week. And it starts with you.”
Please see the staff story in this week’s edition for staff introductions and contact information.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here