We, David Dupont and Jan McLaughlin, the founding journalists at BG Independent News are old school in a new media environment. For decades we have practiced the tenets of local journalism – being the eyes and ears of the community, and writing stories that inform, enlighten, and entertain.
As traditional journalists, we began our careers at a time when it was improper for reporters to be influenced by the revenue side of journalism. We practiced our craft with not just a figurative wall – but a physical wall between the newsroom and the departments that brought in revenue through ads or circulation. Any mingling of motivations just smelled bad.
So that’s a little background to explain why we at BG Independent News are horrible at raising money. We have many loyal readers, some who regularly send checks. And we have steadfast advertisers and sponsors, some who took a chance on us when we started this enterprise. Part of our mission is to help them reach out to our community.
For seven-plus years now, we have been committed to being a trusted and timely source of locally owned and locally focused news. We believe in getting it right and getting it to you while it’s still fresh.
We provide quality reporting, and reach an average of just over 5,000 readers daily, more than 750,000 in the past year. Almost all those readers are in the Bowling Green area.
To be honest, we don’t expect BG Independent, which was built on sweat equity, to be a huge money-making enterprise. But we do pay the journalists we have enlisted to help us cover the community.
From the beginning, our goal has been to provide news free to anyone who wants to read it. We want people to be aware of happenings in their community, regardless of their ability to pay.
We feel the same way about obituaries. We want families to be able to share their losses, even if they can’t afford to print obituaries.
And we believe in providing a forum for community groups to share their news.
We have no plans to change any of that.
Our quandary is remaining true to our journalistic standards while bringing in more revenue. So that’s what brought us here, to you.
For our readers, community organizations, and local businesses who are so inclined – and able – there are several ways to help support our efforts.
Click for advertising and sponsorship.
