The Concord Bridge launched on October 21, 2022. As we approach the first anniversary of publication, the board of The Concord Bridge would like to thank the Concord community for its enthusiastic support of our efforts.
For nearly a year, we have provided each week a print copy of the newspaper free-of-charge to all 8,700 Concord households and businesses. Your response to The Concord Bridge has been very gratifying, and we welcome feedback and suggestions from all of our readers.
Despite the challenges that come with a start-up, we are proud of all that The Concord Bridge has achieved. The newsroom staff is growing; content and coverage continue to expand; local advertisers are thrilled to have a way to effectively reach the Concord community; and we are now seeking a general manager to oversee operations. Most importantly, we have achieved a primary goal: Concordians are more fully informed of the activities of the town’s government, organizations, and community members.
Among many critical issues that The Concord Bridge has explored since October 21 are:
- The cost and construction of the new Middle School
- Efforts to develop affordable housing at Junction Village
- The use of the Best Western Hotel as an emergency shelter
- The proposed dramatic expansion of Hanscom Field
- Cell tower coverage in Concord Center
We are pleased that our business model is working — our not-for-profit newspaper is supported entirely by paid advertising and financial contributions from our readers.
We have been asked by more than a few friends, “How long will it be until you start charging for The Concord Bridge?” Our model is exactly the opposite. We want all households in Concord to receive the paper, whether they pay for it or not, as civic engagement flows from ready access to local news. Our neighboring Carlisle Mosquito has been successfully supporting a free paper through advertising and donations for over 50 years, and we think that Concord can fully match that achievement.
If you are able, please help us meet this challenge by making a tax-deductible contribution to support The Concord Bridge for the coming year. It will cost us about $70 per household in 2024 to produce and distribute the newspaper free-of-charge to all Concord addresses. We are very grateful for donations of any size, as broad community participation is a principal goal of The Concord Bridge.
To give, please click on the DONATION button at theconcordbridge.org or send a personal check made payable to The Concord Bridge to our office at 56C Winthrop Street, Concord, MA 01742. Additional information regarding donations can be found at theconcordbridge.org.
We thank you for reading the paper and supporting our efforts!
