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LINCOLN — As part of the Nebraska Press Association’s 150th anniversary, Gov. Jim Pillen proclaimed June 26-30 as Nebraska Community Newspaper Week.
'The week is being set aside to give Nebraska newspapers a chance to insert themselves into the news for once, and showcase just what we do for our communities,' said Nebraska Press Association Vice President and Cedar County News Co-Publisher Rob Dump.
Former Nebraska Press Association Ad Service President Tory Duncan of Sutton said the governor’s recognition of the contributions of community journalism is important.
He said that Pillen’s recognition showed just how important the association, and each local newspaper, is collectively.
“That was a huge moment for me,” Duncan said.
Dump said the proclamation shows the value the Governor places on Nebraska's community newspapers.
'You look at a strong community — a community with a solid business district and great schools, and you're sure to find a strong newspaper in that town, too. They just go hand-in-hand,' Dump said.
Dennis DeRossett, the executive director of the Nebraska Press Association, said the organization’s contribution to journalism has remained consistent throughout the century and a half.
Today, there are about 150 newspapers operating in Nebraska that are part of the NPA, according to DeRossett.
One hundred thirty of them publish weekly or semi-weekly newspapers. Fourteen dailies run every day in towns spanning from Norfolk to Beatrice. McCook publishes three times a week, and Ogallala publishes twice, according to DeRossett.
DeRossett said local journalism remains crucial to smaller towns and communities throughout Nebraska, as local journalists can cover their local government, school districts and every aspect of their area.
“Many people call the local newspaper the first draft of history,” DeRossett said. “It’s ‘This is what’s happened in the past week or two since we published, and here’s what’s coming ahead in the near future.’ It really keeps the community tied together.”
The NPA works with local newspapers across Nebraska to provide education, advocacy and revenue through advertising and events, DeRossett said.
“We’re here to support members in a lot of different areas, and it’s continued today the same as when it was started years ago,” DeRossett said. “We’re sort of the common tie among all the newspapers.”
According to DeRossett, the NPA is likely the oldest association in Nebraska that is still in operation. As the group was founded near the end of the Civil War, he said it was more important than ever to bring journalists across the state together.
“It was huge for the newspapers back then to get together in a common association,” DeRossett said.
He highlighted journalism’s recent shift to online prioritization as a large benefit to communities, as people in a town now have more access to information than ever before.
“ For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
— Nelson Mandella Even if someone has moved away from their hometown, they can remain connected through their local publication’s website, he said.
Tory Duncan, managing editor of the Clay County News, said the Nebraska Press Association’s contributions to every publication in the state are pivotal to journalism’s success in local communities.
As journalism is an ever-changing industry, Duncan said the NPA has helped them move to digital media and social media as a way to stay connected to more people the papers cover every day.
“It’s a changing world; there’s no doubt about it,” Duncan said. “Thankfully, with the association, we’ve got people to lean on.”
According to Duncan, 100% of locally run newspapers in Nebraska are members of the NPA, something he highlighted as unique to other states.
Duncan said the association helps him at the Clay County News in a variety of ways, whether that’s offering legal advice when covering a major crime like a recent stabbing or helping generate story ideas that the paper can bring to their uniquely local area.
“Without that entire staff we would be jumping a lot more hurdles today than we are,” Duncan said. “Without that association, it would be a much different world.”
Duncan has worked in local journalism for 40 years, growing up in the industry. In that time, he said the publication’s position to cover every event in the county, good or bad, has remained integral to supporting the people in the area.
He cited covering the Clay County Fair each year as a key factor of how his paper highlights the community. At that time when everyone in the county has gathered, Duncan said they work 12-13 hours a day covering every event.
“It’s our job to record the history being made by the young kids and families and the successes they reach,” Duncan said. “Whether they get a grand champion heifer or a red ribbon, it doesn’t matter to us.”
Duncan said although he and his team often work between 50-80 hours a week, this dedication to the members of his community is essential.
“It never gets old,” Duncan said. “You may cover the county fair every year. You may cover the Sutton and Sandy Creek football game, or whatever the case may be every year. But it’s always different, there’s always a different story to write.”
