Richard Free Press Editor Addresses Changes Coming In 2021

Country Club Hills IL

18 December, 2020

5:38 PM

Description

From the Richard Free Press: To the Richard Free Press readers: When I first started Richard Free Press, it really was with the idea – well, hope, I suppose – that it would be a temporary solution to a short-term problem. When the stay-at-home order first was issued in March by the governor, it impacted many businesses. One of those was 22nd Century Media, a newspaper company I worked at full-time for five years and then freelanced for the past five years. The economic downturn forced the company – which published community newspapers like the Orland Park Prairie, Tinley Junction and Mokena Messenger, to name a few – to cease operations for an indeterminate amount of time. It also meant that some great writers, editors, design staff and salespeople were out of work. But it also meant that the southwest suburbs – an area I've spent my entire life residing in – would be without a huge, hyperlocal news source. We live in too big an area with too much going on to only have one or two news sources dedicated to covering the Orland-Tinley and Lincoln-Way areas. So, I talked it over with some trusted friends and an old college professor who I admire. They gave me some great direction, and I formulated what would eventually become Richard Free Press. I also talked it over with my fiancée, Jenny, who ultimately had the final say on if we would embark on this or not. After all, by taking this on, it meant it would be taking me away from her and our dog for Monday or Tuesday meetings. It meant I would be less present at times, particularly if a source called me back for a late-night scoop or tip. But one of the many reasons I love Jenny is that she is the most supportive person I've ever met. She believed in me and in this project more than I did at times. And the reason we've been able to publish approximately 200 stories since our April launch is because of her. I'm very proud of the coverage Richard Free Press has been able to provide these past nine months. It hasn't been perfect. I've often failed to cover Frankfort as well as I hoped, and I really never was able to branch out into having regular features or sports coverage like I had initially planned. And, of course, there have been some typos along the way. But we've also adapted over the months. We now have a limited partnership with Patch, an online news site that covers our communities – essentially meaning they are able to republish Richard Free Press news articles on their sites. Patch has stepped up to the plate to make sure the daily coverage of our towns doesn't shrivel up, and I'm grateful that some of our stories have been able to get a wider audience because of that partnership. Overall, I feel that Richard Free Press has accomplished the goal I set for it back in late March. To paraphrase a line from Aaron Sorkin's "The Newsroom," I feel like we have done the news. Sadly, no media company has put a substantial effort into forming a new newspaper company here in the southwest suburbs. While I still hope that someone will realize that it is a noble and ultimately worthwhile pursuit to do so, I don't see it happening any time soon. So, what does that mean for Richard Free Press? Like I wrote at the start of this, the newsletter was intended to be a short-term solution to a problem. I never foresaw it running longer than a year, because the second a newspaper company re-established itself in the area, a small newsletter company would stand no chance. One thing I know for sure is that I still have the passion for this. Even when I get frustrated with coverage or the time commitment or the barrage of emails, I inevitably still get the same thrill out of hitting publish that I did when I was a full-time journalist working in that 22CM newsroom. But I also recognize that time changes priorities. I'm not an unattached, wild 20-something anymore like I was when I was a full-time reporter. In October, I'm going to marry the love of my life. I've got a dog, Richard, who I would like to turn into an Instagram influencer. I have family that I adore seeing as much as possible. And, eventually, baseball will be back to a 162-game season, and even though I'm a little dejected by the Cubs' moves of late, I'm not naïve enough to think that I'm forever done with a team that has had me at hello since I was 6 years old. Short version: I want to keep doing the news, but I'm going to need help. As such, Richard Free Press will experience some changes in 2021. For starters, I've been operating on pretty much a 95% free-to-paywall ratio. To be able to keep the business afloat – and to be able to afford to pay freelancers – I cannot keep operating on that model. I've tried, but it just won't work another year. Will it be a true 50-50 split of free content to subscribers-only content? Probably not, but it will certainly be closer to that. I will still provide free access to content that is in the public interest (such as with breaking news regarding police activity). But some of the public meeting coverage will be moving to subscribers-only content, as will most election coverage. For those on the fence about paying for content (a practice once considered laughable before places like The Athletic changed the game), I will be starting an offer for 30% off yearly and monthly subscriptions. It will run through the end of January 2021. Get 30% off for 1 year I cannot express to you how much your readership means to me and that you trust me to deliver to you the news in an unbiased and fair manner. I sincerely hope you will stay with me on this journey as we move into 2021. But if you cannot, I understand. Time and budgets are tight these days. Whatever you decide, I hope your holiday season is a good one despite all the challenges and craziness in the world. -Jon DePaolis, Publisher Richard Free Press is a one-stop destination for the news that most affects you, the southwest suburban resident. Be an informed citizen of the town you live in and love.