Why Every Christian Should Consider Starting a Local Newspaper
My name is Jim Sutton, and I'm the creator and maintainer of the website:
Newspaper-Info.com. I started the site a few years ago as a way to let
people know just how easy it can be to start and operate a newspaper
business of your own. I also try to help folks to see why it is im****tant
for ordinary people to own and operate local newspapers.
While the site makes it very clear that success must be earned (it isn't
guaranteed to anyone), it is also easy to see that my primary purpose is
to
encourage God-fearing people in every area to seriously consider starting
up
their own newspaper or other periodical. By the way, all the information
on my site is free of charge.
Why Start a Newspaper?
First of all, I believe in God. (Yes, I am one of those "Bible-thumping"
Christians often cast in the worst possible light in TV and radio
programming, news broadcasts, motion-picture plots, pulp novels, and so
on.
I believe that God has a purpose for every human being on this planet.
Secondly, I believe in people. Even though I spent a good part of my
childhood in the inner city, where I witnessed (and experienced) enough of
the bad side of human nature to convince me of our potential for evil, I
also have seen the good that people long for and that any of us can
achieve
with God's help (even if we do not know God or believe in Him).
Thirdly, I believe in my native country: the United States of America. But
had I been born in Mexico or France or Chad or Iran, I would like to think
I
would believe in my native country (whatever nation it might be) just as
much. Regardless of our race or birthplace, we need to see ourselves as
beautiful and wonderful people, because that is what we are. Our nation
exists because God wills it so. And if we exist, and if our nation exists,
then there is a good that we can accomplish that will benefit all.
And fourth (last) but not least, I wasted most of the op****tunity I had in
school, so I entered adult life without much of an education. In fact, I
did not graduate beyond the sixth grade. I was too busy getting into
trouble to take advantage of the education offered me as a free citizen of
the United States.
So what does any or all of this have to do with telling others that they
should publish a newspaper? Everything, of course.
Why Newspaper-Info.com Exists
As I see it, the truth will set you free. Not all of us know "the truth"
about God or about His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. For that matter, not
all
of us know that all human beings are valuable to God or to the planet on
which we live. But if every species of bird and lizard and mammal is
im****tant to our planet (and I believe it most certainly is), then so is
every human life. Everyone is im****tant and every life is valuable to the
overall good. When even one life goes wrong (and stays wrong) it hurts us
all.
This means that very child matters. Every teen matters. Every adult
matters.
Every life saved from ruin matters. Every soul rescued from an empty life
of
pointless misery and confusion matters. Every heartfelt smile and every
heartfelt song matters. Every graduation, every promotion on the job,
every
success, every new playground, every new accomplishment - regardless of
how
small - matters.
Likewise, every penny given to someone in need matters. Every crooked
politician uncovered matters. And every person who stops following a path
of
destruction - changing course in midstream - matters.
It follows, then, that every meaningful hug matters, every kind word
spoken
from the heart matters, and every selfless act matters. Every positive
word
and choice and act matters. Not only for today, but for tomorrow, for all
time, and for all eternity: every good thing accomplished matters.
So then, every newspaper matters. No matter how small the paper or how
limited the circulation, if someone is helped, properly informed,
encouraged
to do better, saved from despair, turned from wrong choices, or simply
made
to chuckle, then the work and effort and stress of publi****ng that
periodical matters and is worthwhile.
Newspapers Can Accomplish a Lot of Good
Newspapers reach people in their homes, in hospital waiting rooms, in
nursing homes, libraries, at bus stops, in cafes, on commuter trains,
barber
shops, nail salons, and countless other places. People read to pass the
time, to be informed, to get the news, to catch up on the old home town,
to
find the scores, to work the puzzles, to get a laugh, or to see what's
playing. And all these people can use a few good words.
I believe that we can expose the good that is going on all around us. I
believe that even the most cynical people can publish the most delightful
newspapers. I believe that communities and towns and whole cities - even
nations - can be influenced in positive ways by good re****ting and by
re****ting the good as well as the bad.
I believe that good work can be accomplished by ordinary people who care
enough to do a good job, even when they lack formal training for a
particular kind of work. Let's face it, all of us are forced to learn and
do
things every week that we were never formally trained to do. Life is like
that and work is like that. Success in every profession demands it.
Positive Change Begin At Home
I believe that capable people exist in every town and in every community
who
are able to do something to make things better for all. Maybe the first
and
biggest change they need to make is for themselves.
Such individuals may be tired of waiting around for a supervisor to give
them a raise. They may want to be able to buy a house instead of renting a
tiny apartment forever (or maybe they want to pay for the house they
already
"own"). They may want to put a child or two through college. Or they may
want to pay for own university education.
Such people are ready to reach out and help others. They know what it's
like
to work hard for years and get little or no recognition. They see things
in
the community that need to be changed (such as money raised for local
schools, local parks, a new library, etc., or worthy programs for
children,
teens, senior citizens, single-parent families.). They know that decent
and
concerned silent groups in the community need a voice, an influence.
A good newspaper (one that actually does its job) will usually make a good
income for its publisher. A good newspaper will give a broader voice to
the
community it serves. A good newspaper can help change everything for the
good, or at least start things in a more positive direction.
And even the tiniest newspaper can become a good influence for all the
"big"
papers and other media in the region.
Your Life Matters
Until you really try, you will never know what you can accomplish. Until
you
take a step to make things better (for yourself and for others) you will
never know just how much better things can be.
Who knows? Your paper may even help to change the course of human
history.
I have no doubt that it will change some lives for the better.
Many of the biggest changes in human history have been set in motion by
one
person. Someone willing to say or do some worthwhile thing can influence
wonderful changes. One human being with a newspaper can do a lot of good.
That's why I built and why I maintain this site. I know the good that
people can accomplish when they choose to serve their community, when they
decide to help make the world a better place for everyone and for all
living
things on our planet.
On my site you'll find helpful information and losts of links to other
resources and ideas. I also list newspaper associations, publi****ng
materials and sources, and more.
Jim Sutton
www.Newspaper-Info.com
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