Celebrating Small Businesses

This week is National Small Business Week. This was pointed out by our insurance provider, The Hartford, which sent a note of congratulations and thanks to the CV Weekly. After all, small businesses are the “heartbeat of our communities and the backbone of our economy.” I couldn’t agree more.

My small company alone provides jobs for nearly 20 people, whether it’s as news reporters and photographers, designers, delivery people (I have one route available, by the way) or in sales. Sadly, the money I pay is paltry but the opportunity I provide is truly remarkable. I give my people a chance to contribute to one of the most vital businesses in our community – the local newspaper.

Why is the newspaper so vital when social media offers so many platforms to peruse local events? One main reason is reporters. The CV Weekly pays people to investigate what’s going on in our community, then to write detailed synopses of those events to keep our community informed. Think that’s unimportant? Consider the bogus “reports” that can be found on social media, many times written by people who fancy themselves “news providers” yet have no experience or qualifications. Many times they’re nothing more than opinion-sharers. Quality newspapers pride themselves on bringing fact-based information that has been researched to their readers. I often explain that if a newspaper prints an error one week and 24,000 people (as is the case with CV Weekly) read that newspaper with the error, the following week a correction can be made and 24,000 people will read that correction. Not the case with social media. Think about it – if something is written on social media, then corrected later, no one is going to see the correction; once read, a post is rarely revisited. That misinformation is forever floating out there in cyber-land.

Doomsayers are many who predict the end of newspapers in their current form. I agree that the industry is going through a time of unknowns – especially regarding its own future – but I disagree when, specifically, the end of community newspapers is predicted. Is it because the CV Weekly continues to grow? Is it because our readers and advertisers are just smarter than everyone else and recognize the value of a quality product? Or is it because, like billionaire Warren Buffett, they understand that when it comes to getting honest, reliable local news, newspapers are the only game in town.

“Newspapers continue to reign supreme in the delivery of local news,” Buffett said in comments that many newspaper owners and editors celebrated. “If you want to know what’s going on in your town – whether the news is about the mayor or taxes or high school football ¬¬– there is no substitute for a local newspaper that is doing its job.”

Because of the financial support of our readers (subscribe today – see page 4!) and our advertisers, CV Weekly can continue doing what we do best – and what we love to do – which is providing our community with news that concerns them and, in the end, reminds us all why we call Crescenta Valley home.