Brookings Register is in good hands but it needs your support

The Brookings community was stunned recently by the sudden announcement that News Media Corporation the Registers longtime parent company was shutting down operations in four states, including South Dakota. After decades of service to this community, it looked like the papers presses might go silent for good.

Then, almost as quickly as the news broke, the Champions stepped in. This week it has been announced that Champion Media is the new owner of the Register, plus three other papers in South Dakota.

Ive known Corey Champion for a number of years now, and Ive also gotten to know his dad, Scott. They are the kind of people who act decisively when it matters most. In this case, their quick action meant saving The Brookings Register from closure and preserving an irreplaceable voice for this community.

But heres the truth: saving the paper is just the first step. Keeping it strong will take all of us.

I so appreciate the familiar faces I used to see stop in every year to pay their subscription bill. But over the years, too many people stopped taking the paper for various reasons. Advertising revenue declined each year, and like so many community newspapers, the Register was feeling the squeeze.

A community newspaper MUST be supported by the community it serves. Its heartbreaking to see hordes of people on Facebook expressing sadness over the Registers potential loss when many of them were not, and have not been, subscribers. Words of support are meaningful, but subscriptions and advertising dollars are what keep the lights on and the presses rolling.

The Champions have given Brookings a second chance to keep its newspaper alive. Now its up to the community to step up, subscribe, advertise, and make sure the Register remains a fixture for generations to come. To Corey, Scott, and the entire Champion Media team thank you. You didnt just buy a newspaper; you kept a community institution alive. I have every confidence the Register is in good hands, but its future depends on the people of Brookings rallying behind it.