Editorial: News you can use
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Notable events, weather and sports.
On social media, people are acting astounded to learn that “news” is an acronym for these four words. They might be even more shocked to realize that, like so much on Facebook or TikTok, it’s not true at all. The news, to put it bluntly, is simply what is new.
New things that happened. New information that has been uncovered. New actions that will impact your life. New stories to tell.
These are things that are important to being a well-rounded person who can function in the world. People who read the news regularly and critically are people who know what their local government is doing, how the state is spending tax money and what the federal government isn’t getting done. They can make decisions about things as long-term as retirement and as short-term as where to get the best price on tomatoes.
And a newspaper you hold in your hand — or the news app you open on your phone — is your map to all of that and more.
This week is National Newspaper Week. It’s a time when the news industry turns a spotlight on the work done by newspapers — in print and increasingly online — to show how important journalism is to our communities and our country.
That’s very true. There is a reason that freedom of the press is part of the First Amendment, mentioned just a breath behind freedom of religion and speech. But sometimes those lofty airs aren’t what matter as much to the people going through their daily life.
In Pennsylvania, what also matters is the economic weight of the industry. According to a report from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, newspapers have a $1.3 billion impact on the state’s economy and employ 9,862 people. They generate $51.8 million in tax revenue for state and local coffers.
But that’s only part of the story, and if there’s one thing a newspaper likes to do, it’s dig deeper.
Newspapers help people find jobs. They help businesses find customers and help customers find businesses. They help connect to housing and other vital services.
And beyond all of those monetary links, there is another that is priceless. Newspapers connect us to each other. They show us on our best days and our worst, when we are born and when we die and all of the moments between such as home runs and Eagle Scout projects and ribbon cuttings.
News might not be short for notable events, weather and sports, but we are here for all that and more. And we will continue to be.