We’re blessed in this area to be able to have multiple news sources at our disposal.
We live within the coverage radius of three local TV stations with news programs, so Lee County issues can and do get covered.
We also enjoy an area filled with many news publications, some weeklies like us and even a daily paper that bills itself as one of the most award-winning community newspapers in the state.
While we don’t wish to criticize or cavel with that paper’s claim to their well-deserved awards, we do take issue with one mantle they seem to claim: community newspaper.
By simply declaring yourself to be a community newspaper because of your location within a particular locale, you somewhat miss some of the tenets that make up a true community newspaper.
When you are more likely to find national news stories than local ones on the front page, perhaps the paper is not a community newspaper.
If your readership has to fight and clamor to get the paper to take notice of their story or issue, that paper might not be a true community newspaper.
If you are more likely to see photos of folks from halfway across the country instead of right here in the Opelika area, you aren’t dealing with a community newspaper.
If local news is buried deep within the paper to make room for wire service stories and advertorials, that paper might not be able to claim the title of community newspaper.
The Opelika Observer, this paper, is your community newspaper.
Within our pages, you’ll find predominantly local coverage and issues written by local writers that know and love this place.
We’re your hometown paper, owned by hometown people who want to see this community thrive and grow in the best way it can.
We’re committed to providing the best local coverage we can to you, our readers, so that you can be fully aware of what’s going on in our area.
Our paper was established because a group of Opelika citizens were concerned that local news was not being published. So that’s our reason for being. (We have, however, observed that the “other paper” has carried more community articles since we began publication.)
The only way the President of the Unites States will be on the front page of the Observer is if he comes to visit us here in Opelika. We will only focus on and cover local news and issues.
We realize we don’t have the resources and money that a paper owned by a national media conglomerate does, but we assure you that every chance we get, we will strive to provide the best coverage we can with the resources we have available.
In our paper, we’ll run pictures of your kids’ school projects and interesting activities.
In our paper, we highlight the actions and deeds of great Opelikians, people we should all admire and emulate.
In other words, Opelika, we renew our commitment with you to be your local paper, the paper that truly cares and focuses on the issues and stories about our town and area.
If you have a story idea, e-mail it in, call us, or even come by our office.
If you have a complaint, please let us know. It’s the only way we’ll know what we can do better to serve you, our readers.
Get involved and let us know what we can do to make this paper a better paper for you and the rest of our community.
The Opelika Observer enters this new year with an even firmer commitment to being the best community newspaper we can be for you.
We’re going to do everything we can, everything within our limited powers that we can do.
We just ask your help in doing it.
We live within the coverage radius of three local TV stations with news programs, so Lee County issues can and do get covered.
We also enjoy an area filled with many news publications, some weeklies like us and even a daily paper that bills itself as one of the most award-winning community newspapers in the state.
While we don’t wish to criticize or cavel with that paper’s claim to their well-deserved awards, we do take issue with one mantle they seem to claim: community newspaper.
By simply declaring yourself to be a community newspaper because of your location within a particular locale, you somewhat miss some of the tenets that make up a true community newspaper.
When you are more likely to find national news stories than local ones on the front page, perhaps the paper is not a community newspaper.
If your readership has to fight and clamor to get the paper to take notice of their story or issue, that paper might not be a true community newspaper.
If you are more likely to see photos of folks from halfway across the country instead of right here in the Opelika area, you aren’t dealing with a community newspaper.
If local news is buried deep within the paper to make room for wire service stories and advertorials, that paper might not be able to claim the title of community newspaper.
The Opelika Observer, this paper, is your community newspaper.
Within our pages, you’ll find predominantly local coverage and issues written by local writers that know and love this place.
We’re your hometown paper, owned by hometown people who want to see this community thrive and grow in the best way it can.
We’re committed to providing the best local coverage we can to you, our readers, so that you can be fully aware of what’s going on in our area.
Our paper was established because a group of Opelika citizens were concerned that local news was not being published. So that’s our reason for being. (We have, however, observed that the “other paper” has carried more community articles since we began publication.)
The only way the President of the Unites States will be on the front page of the Observer is if he comes to visit us here in Opelika. We will only focus on and cover local news and issues.
We realize we don’t have the resources and money that a paper owned by a national media conglomerate does, but we assure you that every chance we get, we will strive to provide the best coverage we can with the resources we have available.
In our paper, we’ll run pictures of your kids’ school projects and interesting activities.
In our paper, we highlight the actions and deeds of great Opelikians, people we should all admire and emulate.
In other words, Opelika, we renew our commitment with you to be your local paper, the paper that truly cares and focuses on the issues and stories about our town and area.
If you have a story idea, e-mail it in, call us, or even come by our office.
If you have a complaint, please let us know. It’s the only way we’ll know what we can do better to serve you, our readers.
Get involved and let us know what we can do to make this paper a better paper for you and the rest of our community.
The Opelika Observer enters this new year with an even firmer commitment to being the best community newspaper we can be for you.
We’re going to do everything we can, everything within our limited powers that we can do.
We just ask your help in doing it.
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