In recent weeks, the news media business has seen a substantial increase in audience engagement while our communities, province and country are trying to find the best way to handle the global pandemic that is COVID-19. While we have adapted over the years to move from a community newspaper organization to a community news media organization, we have seen all of our platforms (print, online and social) find new engagement.

Have you ever wondered how your community news hits your doorstep every week, or your computer and mobile device every day? Do you wonder how the not-for-profits get their message in front of you? How about those fundraisers community members start to help a neighbour whose child is battling a rare disease? These are all questions we don’t ask ourselves, as we have come to expect local community news will always be there for us.

Our journalists are going above and beyond every day to ensure we have the facts we need to know about COVID-19, all while trying to provide the community with good news stories taking place at the same time.

As an organization, we strive to ensure our audience is reading the stories that are important to them in their local communities and across the province.

We are a local B.C.-owned and operated company that is a business like every other business and we employ over 650 people in the Okanagan- Shuswap that support our local economy.

We have been impacted the same as most small business owners, which is affecting our team in ways similar to yours.

So the next time you notice a reporter covering a story that is important to you, you see your newspaper carrier delivering the paper on their bike, or your advertising representative provides you with copies of your ads, give them a wave and thank them for all they do. Remember we’re all in this together and we will only get through it by being well informed.

#wereinthistogether #localjournalismmatters #supportlocal

— Karen Hill, Black Press Media