I’m a newspaper person. Ever since the day I proudly shouldered my newspaper carrier’s bag as a child and delivered my first paper to my neighbors in Quincy, Mass., I’ve appreciated the important role a good newspaper can play in the local community.
A decade later, when I began writing for that same paper, the critical role of newspapers hit home even more. Reporting on everything from local criminal trials and arts festivals to the problem of trash disposal, I saw first-hand how residents relied on their local newspaper for information that was relevant to their lives. So perhaps it’s no surprise that when our family moved to Ponte Vedra three years ago, one of my first purchases was a copy of the Ponte Vedra Recorder.
Now, as I begin my role as editor of the Recorder, I believe even more strongly that in an era of 24/7 TV news, the internet and social media, community newspapers are needed more than ever. For despite the cacophony of media voices that barrage us each day, never has the American public been so fragmented and divided. With 600 channels and a multitude of media platforms available to us at the click of a button, we seem to lack the communal experiences that connected and strengthened communities in generations past.
Community newspapers like the Ponte Vedra Recorder help fill that void. Through thoughtful, credible coverage of local events, community newspapers inform residents of the local issues and events that matter to them. They serve as watchdogs, holding government accountable for its actions. And they spotlight the positive, inspiring and uplifting local stories that somehow never seem to make the 6 o’clock news. In short, they exist to connect, engage and serve the local community.
Fulfilling that role in a community such as Ponte Vedra is both a great privilege and a great responsibility – one that requires a depth of community knowledge that doesn’t happen overnight. As Ponte Vedra’s hometown paper of record since 1969, the Recorder has invested in this community in a way that no other local publication with “Ponte Vedra” in its name can claim. (Similarly named publications may also cause confusion among readers, leading them to believe that other papers with “Ponte Vedra” in the name are in some way affiliated with the Recorder. Don’t be fooled; as an independent newspaper, the Recorder stands alone in its unrivaled, in-depth coverage of the Ponte Vedra community.)
As a fairly new resident of Ponte Vedra, I am honored to be joining a staff who are so deeply invested in our community. We live here. We work here. Our children go to school here. Most of all, we care about the issues that are important to you because they’re important to us, too.
In the coming weeks and months, I look forward to hearing from Ponte Vedra residents. Please share with us your story ideas and information on topics and events you’d like to see covered – both in our pages and on the newly redesigned pontevedrarecorder.com, where breaking news and daily updates are available. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you.
Jennifer Logue
Editor
