Dear Readers,
At The Concord Bridge, we seek the Holy Grail in journalism: a new business model to support media because traditional advertising and event revenue sources have become unreliable. Like other nonprofit newspapers that have sprung up across the country, much is riding on our success. A healthy democracy requires an informed citizenry and governments held accountable to the people they represent.
Knowing Concordians expect quality journalism — the kind you normally pay a subscription to get — and that many new publications fail because not enough attention is paid to revenue, the board has sought to address those issues in hiring me. I am an unusual publishing executive: one with a background in quality media who has worked on both the editorial and business sides.
We succeed by working together to create a sustainable, best-in-class weekly nonprofit newspaper. We want to know what you think of the job we’re doing and to learn what else you would like us to cover. Look for a reader survey and an invitation to participate in small-group discussions later this year. Additional coverage will require more funds, but we are committed to finding stories, accurately analyzing their impact, and telling you how to make sense of ongoing twists and turns. We’re working on follow-ups, which we were not staffed to do earlier, to some of our best-read stories.
Thank you for voting in this year’s town election, and see the results on our front page. One of the ways we will measure our success is by tracking changes in voter participation rates — we aim to inspire people to act as responsible citizens.
Upcoming stories
After a rainy winter and snow in April, we turn to the joys of spring in this issue. We feature the town’s unique program to plant free trees for residents and advise you to let your gardens rest a bit longer so pollinators can flourish.
Next week, we’ll have a pull-out section on next year’s 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War and how it will impact the lives of Concordians, which Managing Editor Celeste Katz Marston has been working on for months. Later in April, we’ll debut our first game — a Concord-based crossword puzzle created by Ricky Sirois, the assistant Concord librarian whom our editor and puzzle maven Betsy Levinson has enticed to our pages. Also, we heard you and have begun running Concord real estate transactions.
The Concord Bridge is here for your aspirations — did you see who published a new adult coloring book? Your celebrations — boys’ and girls’ middle school basketball teams won championships! Your challenges — read our column on the importance of friendship as we age. And your concerns — how many new jet flights are proposed at Hanscom Airport?
We raise your voices, and we tie the community together.
Please continue to contact us via phone or email with any story tips. Also, consider making a donation via our website or mailing us a check so we can continue doing our best to bring you Concord news, opinions, and events.
I am working with staff first but will soon be out for meetings and greetings in the community. I am very excited about our partnership and look forward to working with you.
Kind regards,
