It takes a village...

This week is being observed as National Newspaper week throughout the country.

Can you even begin to imagine what or where our nation would be today without newspapers...or lets go just a bit further and say...how about Bamberg County without The Advertizer-Herald.

Back in 2006 when I became the publisher of the county's newspaper, I knew it would not be a small job by far. I had been working at the newspaper since 1992 and my knowledge was in advertising not news... I had a lot to learn and lots of homework to do.

Before I accepted the position, I noticed that the content of the paper had changed dramatically and was not what its readers were looking for...The circulation was dropping fast and something had to be done immediately....Bamberg County could not afford to lose its newspaper.

Bamberg being a small county with almost everyone knowing everyone, I saw the need to get that local hometown news back in the paper and reach out to its readers with news that was most current and most important to the communities....In many instances, the newspaper is the only way the community will find out what is going on.

Just exactly what is important in our community? That I had to figure out quickly.

Weddings, engagements, births, and obituaries are very important. Sports is very important in all the towns.

The county council meeting and all governmental meetings are important...School news, the hospital, fire department, law enforcement, emergency personnel our churches and most importantly our children.

Ok, since I took the job, I have found out that almost everything that happens in the county is important because it will have some kind of effect or impact on someone or something....Sometimes the bad news outweighs the good news....But the stories have to be told.

I have learned a lot about Bamberg County and the people that live here....I have made friends in all the right places and I have probably made a few enemies along the way.

But the knowledge that I have gained in the last five years and the experience of getting to know so many people in my community is well worth the time and long hours that it takes to produce the county's weekly newspaper.

No, I cannot imagine Bamberg County without its newspaper...The Advertizer- Herald and yes, it does take a village to have a newspaper....a village full of people from all walks of life.