Local media striving to maintain print editions

There are fewer newspaper kiosks around the area because not as many newspapers are being printed. Photo by Evan Doherty, QNet News

By Evan Doherty

BELLEVILLE – Physical copies of newspapers are becoming less common, but media outlets in the Quinte-region say there is still a market for getting newspapers in the hands of their readers and they don’t plan on stopping print editions.

In the age of the internet, print journalism isn’t popular as it was once was. Newspaper stands have been disappearing over the years and the Saturday paper on the front doorstep isn’t being  delivered as much as it used to be.

Brice McVicar has been the managing editor of The Intelligencer for 15 years.

He said The Intelligencer is online, but still has a daily paper.

“We print a daily edition Tuesday through Saturday and anything you can find in the newspaper is also online. There are some things that are exclusive to the print edition, but pretty much everything ends up on our website,” he said.

“Here we have seen staff reductions over the years. We have seen the newsroom numbers shrink over the years,” McVicar said. Photo by Evan Doherty, QNet News

He said that the newspapers are mostly read by the older population in the area and that hasn’t changed over the years.

“I think it continues to be the older generation that still prefers to have the tangible newspapers in their hands. There are still some younger viewers, but for the most part we’re still seeing the bulk of our readership comes from senior citizens,” he said.

McVicar said he doesn’t think the print industry will disappear completely because there will be always be a demand for it. He said that there might not be as many newspapers in circulation in the future, but there will be some.

“I think there’s always gonna be people who still prefer print. You’re even seeing it with physical books.”

He also said, “There’s still a demographic that likes to actually have something in their hands. I think the newspapers, magazines, the print will always be there maybe in a different capacity or a slightly diminished capacity, but it will be around.”

Community newspapers are staying afloat by going online to become more accessible to different types of readers. However, some still believe that accessing news the old fashioned way is the best way to do it.

Corey Engelsdorfer is the owner, editor and publisher of the Wellington Times. He said it’s a fairly small newsroom which is why he fulfills all three of the roles.

He said that they are a community newspaper that tries to deliver local content. Engelsdorfer also said keeping a printed paper around is the reason why people keep coming back to their newspaper.

The Wellington Times has been a newspaper since 1992. Photo by Evan Doherty, QNet News

“We don’t deliver. We have our paper at over 100 retail locations so people actually have to pick it up. So that’s our big marketing tool because we know people have to go pick our paper up,” he said.

Engelsdorfer said that it helps them know that their paper is being read rather than being left on a driveway. He said holding a physical paper makes a difference in how many readers they get.

“Well I think that at least with our readers that they will read it cover to cover. So they’ll flip through the whole paper and won’t just be looking for select stories.” Englesdorfer said.

Engelsdorfer said that he believes the small community newspapers are making a comeback. He said he thinks that people like to read about what’s happening in their area.

“I think you’re going to see more small and niche markets.  I think that you’re going to see us survive and thrive. I think you’re going to see other bigger papers are disappearing, but we’re doing and well and enjoying what we’re doing so I don’t think we’re going anywhere. That’s for sure,” he said.