As we have played our cards building to the launch of the new Thurston Chronicle weekly newspaper over the past year, we have been holding something of an ace of spades under the table.
It’s not our talented reporters and editors. Those are out in the open, accessible to the community, and already at your service.
It’s not our skilled photojournalists. Their work is already readily viewable within this edition of the newspaper and at ThurstonChronicle.com.
So what is our secret weapon? Our coveted and valued clandestine asset that we plan to leverage to make this endeavor successful?
Take a look in the mirror.
It’s you.
Since entering the world of community journalism in January 2021, our communities have been the best producers of local news, sports and opinion at CT Publishing’s disposal.
That’s not just a corny claim to draw you into our world of community newspapering.
It is our daily reality.
In launching Thurston Chronicle, we earnestly want for you to stand with us. We desire your contributions, your ideas.
If you’re a local school district, we want your honor rolls. We want you team rosters. We want to hear about kids who are excelling in the classroom so we can praise them in front of the community. We want to know about teachers and administrators who are helping build the lives of future leaders.
If you’re a business, we don’t just want your financial support through sponsorships and advertising. (We do want those, though!) We want to hear your success stories. We want to tell the community about your latest promotions, your star employees, your latest accomplishments.
If you’re a nonprofit, we don’t just want to tell our readers about your next event on the calendar. We want to detail the impact you’re having in Thurston County and why it matters.
The list goes on and on.
If you’re a hunter or angler, we want you to send us photos and details about your latest harvest.
If you’re an enterprising creator, we want to provide our platforms as a place where you can share what you have made with the world — for free. It could be a beautiful photo, a treasured hobby or anything you believe your neighbors deserve to see beyond your own abilities to share it.
This mindset has been our lifeblood at both The Chronicle and Nisqually Valley News.
Our secret weapon has and always will be the staffer who never takes a day off — members of the public who through their actions and decisions shape the very fabric of the communities we seek to cover.
We want your letters to the editor sharing your perspectives about the latest news and happenings in the newspaper. We want your news tips. We want your ideas for improvement and criticism for errors and omissions.
Thurston Chronicle is undertaking the launch of its newspaper with humility. We know we have a lot to learn about the county, and we are willing to put in the work and investments to gain that knowledge.
We also know we’re not the only show in town.
The Olympian continues to produce quality journalism, even under the burden of a corporate media strategy that has led to prolonged decline.
We see you JOLT, the Journal of Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater. We are aware that DeVaul Publishing and its Tenino Independent and Rochester Sun publications have long provided a localized version of the same journalistic service we’re expanding. And we see the robust and successful online operations that have filled in gaps in the local landscape, with Thurston Co. Scanner, News and Weather Blog offering perhaps the best example of the community taking news coverage into its own hands.
We see the independent journalists and commentators — we’re looking at you, Tony Taylor, and your On the Record interviews with community movers and shakers.
For the past year, we have analyzed Thurston County and plotted out what we can offer to provide a valuable supplement — not a replacement.
And we hope to work with you — ALL of you — as the next chapters of Thurston Chronicle unfold in the days, weeks, months and years ahead.
To join us, simply contribute. If you have something to share, it is as easy as an email to news@thurstonchronicle.com. If you would like to advertise or subscribe, visit ThurstonChronicle.com.
There is no end to the possible ways you can help us in this journey.
We’re not leaving the table, and we have a great hand.
But we will never have all the cards without the community buying in.
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Coralee Taylor is CEO and co-owner of CT Publishing, which publishes Thurston Chronicle, The Chronicle and Nisqually Valley News.
