The future of local journalism, Part II Introducing the Courier

The Left Hand Valley Courier, a nonprofit organization, is dealing with the same issues that the journalism industry, particularly local journalism, is grappling with across the country. This article is the second in a series of reports on the current journalism business climate, the history and contributions of the Courier, why local journalism remains an important asset in community-building, and ways in which its business model can be strengthened.

The Left Hand Valley Courier (Courier) began publishing as a monthly newspaper on April 1, 1997. It was born out of frustration with the lack of coverage of Niwot and Gunbarrel news and sports by Longmont and Boulder daily newspapers. The weekly Niwot Tribune, whose name still appears on a building at the corner of Second Avenue and Franklin Street, was published from 1921 through 1958. Another newspaper in Niwot survived for only a few months in the 1980s.

In late 1996, seven community members gathered to discuss creating a local newspaper. Karen Copperberg (Niwot volunteer), Ron Goodman (retired Niwot architect), Selene (Hall) Luna (Niwot bank manager), Lori Lindemann (Gunbarrel photographer), Mary Lopert (Gunbarrel columnist), Vicki Maurer (Niwot paralegal) and Bruce Warren (Niwot attorney) each contributed $50 to launch the Courier. Warren said, "We had very little journalism experience, but with computers, we thought, 'It can't be that hard.' It was that hard."

The efforts of the original team and many other community-minded writers, editors, advertising directors, and production personnel resulted in an enduring, much-appreciated community asset. However, the publication's success came with a great deal of hard work and a series of challenges.

The original staff members met weekly to plan every aspect of the monthly newspaper. Early issues were physically laid out on a ping-pong table in Lopert's basement. Articles and ads were saved to floppy discs, which were then delivered to the layout person, "with chocolate if we were late," Warren said. The final version was then put on a disc and delivered to the printer. Maurer noted that family members were "recruited" to distribute the Courier free to up to 10,000 homes and businesses in Niwot, Gunbarrel and South Longmont.

In 2014, a newspaper out of Emporia, Kansas, signed an agreement to purchase the Courier after a two-year transition period. They opened an office in Niwot on 79th Street, hired a full-time editor, and converted the paper to a weekly format. Lindemann had left the newspaper after the first year, and Goodman had to retire due to poor health. But five of the founders as well as other staff members remained involved in producing the newspaper.

Shortly before the end of the transition, the Kansas newspaper unexpectedly backed out of the deal. Courier owners and staff scrambled to keep the Courier up and running. Both the editor and the advertising director, who were based in Kansas, stayed on for over a year to assist.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Courier was faced with a significant loss of advertising revenue as businesses struggled to survive. The Courier transitioned from a print-only to an online-only weekly publication. As the world re-opened, the Courier continued with weekly online issues and was able to add and deliver a free print edition every four weeks. An online subscription fee was added to help replace lost ad revenue.

On April 1, 2022, the Courier celebrated its 25th anniversary, and the retirement of Lopert and Copperberg. Luna's full-time position with Bank of the West had led to her retirement a few years earlier. Warren and Maurer remain active as Managing Editor and Business Manager, respectively.

The longevity of the newspaper reflects the dedication of the founders, the staff, and the strong support of the community. However, rising printing costs and persistent advertising revenue shortfalls were instrumental in the Courier owners' decision to donate the newspaper to a newly-formed non-profit corporation, Left Hand Valley Courier, on January 1, 2024.

Lopert and Copperberg agreed to serve on the Board of Directors of the non-profit, along with Niwot native Jessica (Tennant) Walker. Officers include Warren (President), Elise Marylander (Vice-President) who also serves as Editor of the newspaper, and Maurer (Secretary and Treasurer).

The Courier currently publishes a weekly online edition. In addition, every four weeks, 6,000 copies of a print edition are distributed free of charge to homes and businesses in Niwot and Gunbarrel. A staff of 25 contributors, some of whom volunteer their time, includes award-winning journalists.

As important as the Courier's print and e-editions of newspapers are, and as much effort as they take to produce, they only scratch the surface of today's news industry. According to a Pew Research Center report from last month, 58% of U.S. adults prefer to receive their news from digital platforms versus 4% for print publications. The remainder are split between television and radio. The same sample shared that 86% often or sometimes use digital media for news, and 25% read print.

The Left Hand Valley Courier's website has approximately 15,000 views per month with almost 900 active users. The Courier has an active social media presence with approximately 1.9K followers on Facebook and nearly 3,000 Instagram accounts reached each month. The Courier posts on both sites approximately four times each week. Both accounts have seen a marked increase in followers and engagement during 2024.

The Courier has survived through worldwide changes in journalism, and is determined to grow with a changing world to bring local news not covered anywhere else to its community. Although faced with growing expenses, it is the commitment and grit of its staff and support of advertisers and subscribers that brings the news to you each week.

Next week, the series, "The Future of Local Journalism," continues with "Part III: How the Courier Enhances the Niwot Community." The article will provide an overview of the Courier's benefits to the community and introduce its talented reporters and other team members. It will be available to e-edition subscribers. Subscribe at https://www.lhvc.com/subscribe/start for $99 per year, with a money-back guarantee for 30 days to first-time subscribers.