HCP thanks readers, advertisers
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
To begin this week's column, in answer to a few questions from friends and business associates regarding the media news of the past week, yes, in fact, The Highland County Press is relocating in uptown Hillsboro.
No, we have not been evicted by our gracious landlord, Mr. Phil Girard of North Carolina. Nor are we being forced to relocate to satisfy any recent bankruptcy proceedings.
The simple fact of the matter is this: We have opted to invest in property ownership in uptown Hillsboro – and, I might add, without aid of any local, state or federal taxpayer-funded grants.
By mid-October, please look for The Highland County Press in the 100 block of South High Street, just a few doors down from Collins Appliances.
The timing of our relocation is a bit ironic, if I do say so.
Two years ago this October, two publishers with another newspaper company sent communications within the southern Ohio region of their company that admitted to and encouraged the theft of The Highland County Press.
On Oct. 8, 2009, Gary Brock, publisher of the Record-Herald in Washington Court House, wrote to his boss, Pam Stricker, former publisher of The Times-Gazette and group publisher over Brock, this potentially incriminating email:
"The Highland County Press has shown up... There was a stack of them inside the entrance of one of our restaurants. I had the owner discard them. At sales meeting (sic) this morning, I told everyone to be on the lookout for them and to be sure to take them all if they find them anywhere here."
Upon receiving this potentially incriminating email, Stricker forwarded it to publishers and advertising managers at The Times-Gazette, the Wilmington News-Journal, the Georgetown News-Democrat, the Washington Court House Record Herald and The People's Defender in West Union.
While I was alarmed and dismayed when I received word that an Ohio newspaper publisher not only admitted to taking copies of The Highland County Press – thus, in essence, stealing from our company and from our advertisers – I was further concerned that he also admitted to instructing his staff to take our papers.
My attorney recommended we take legal action. I opted against it.
I received multiple written correspondences of this email from concerned employees under Stricker and I also received verbal affirmation of the admitted theft. Obviously, not all of Stricker's subordinates were comfortable with the contents of the email.
Please keep in mind that these thefts occurred less than six weeks after the new ownership and staff of The Highland County Press were in place. Talk about your inauspicious beginnings! This was a real nice "Welcome to the neighborhood, now get out."
To make matters worse, not long after the Brock and Stricker emails, we had two considerable thefts of our newspapers caught on security video at one of our larger media outlets. One may presume it was only coincidental, but the fact of the matter is this: There were other newspapers at this Hillsboro store, but only The Highland County Press copies were taken – all copies.
After the second theft, I filed a report with Hillsboro Police Chief Nick Thompson and, to keep things on a positive note, I also enjoyed a nice tour of the then-new HPD, courtesy of Chief Thompson.
The Brock and Stricker emails were forwarded to The Associated Press and the Ohio Newspaper Association but, business being business, neither acted on the information. (Which was no real surprise.)
I bring this up on the second anniversary of the thefts – as I did on the first anniversary, and probably will again on our third anniversary – because it's important for our readers and advertisers to understand that such tactics are hurtful not only to the newspaper, but also to its loyal supporters.
On the bright side, while there's been no formal apology, the reports of the thefts have subsided. (I think.)
Learning from history is a good thing, of course. But we've got more important things to focus on. We have a very busy month ahead of us, with high school, NFL and NCAA football, the Major League Baseball playoffs, a general election on the not-too-distant horizon and then, the excitement of the holiday season. (And more football!)
Our second anniversary of publishing Highland County's only locally owned and operated newspaper is not all that important in the grand scheme of things. What is important is that we continue to do our best to present the news in a fair and accurate manner, and we continue to produce locally designed ads with similar accuracy for our wonderful advertisers.
Believe me, your support is appreciated and has not gone unnoticed. Because of that support, we did not increase our advertising rates in 2009 or 2010 or 2011. And if that support remains strong, I'll go out on a limb and say we won't increase our rates in 2012, either. Lord knows, we have a tough enough economy as it is.
Longtime Ohio newspaper publisher William Latham founded The Highland County Press 12 years ago and always maintained fair and reasonable rates. We'll do our best to continue that tradition.
Lastly, I must add that without the tremendous efforts of the HCP staff – Lisa Wharton, Angie Matticks, Stephen Forsha, Brandy Chandler, Caitlin Ryan and Rosemary Ryan (yes, I am related to the last two!), we would not be acknowledging our second anniversary. I thank all of you more than words can say. (I thank my family for putting up with my hours and occasional attitude, too! Thanks, Pam, Caitlin, Meghan and Colin.)
Mostly, I thank you, the people of Highland County for reading The Highland County Press and our website. We will never take your readership and support for granted.
Many thanks,
Rory
(Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.)[[In-content Ad]]
No, we have not been evicted by our gracious landlord, Mr. Phil Girard of North Carolina. Nor are we being forced to relocate to satisfy any recent bankruptcy proceedings.
The simple fact of the matter is this: We have opted to invest in property ownership in uptown Hillsboro – and, I might add, without aid of any local, state or federal taxpayer-funded grants.
By mid-October, please look for The Highland County Press in the 100 block of South High Street, just a few doors down from Collins Appliances.
The timing of our relocation is a bit ironic, if I do say so.
Two years ago this October, two publishers with another newspaper company sent communications within the southern Ohio region of their company that admitted to and encouraged the theft of The Highland County Press.
On Oct. 8, 2009, Gary Brock, publisher of the Record-Herald in Washington Court House, wrote to his boss, Pam Stricker, former publisher of The Times-Gazette and group publisher over Brock, this potentially incriminating email:
"The Highland County Press has shown up... There was a stack of them inside the entrance of one of our restaurants. I had the owner discard them. At sales meeting (sic) this morning, I told everyone to be on the lookout for them and to be sure to take them all if they find them anywhere here."
Upon receiving this potentially incriminating email, Stricker forwarded it to publishers and advertising managers at The Times-Gazette, the Wilmington News-Journal, the Georgetown News-Democrat, the Washington Court House Record Herald and The People's Defender in West Union.
While I was alarmed and dismayed when I received word that an Ohio newspaper publisher not only admitted to taking copies of The Highland County Press – thus, in essence, stealing from our company and from our advertisers – I was further concerned that he also admitted to instructing his staff to take our papers.
My attorney recommended we take legal action. I opted against it.
I received multiple written correspondences of this email from concerned employees under Stricker and I also received verbal affirmation of the admitted theft. Obviously, not all of Stricker's subordinates were comfortable with the contents of the email.
Please keep in mind that these thefts occurred less than six weeks after the new ownership and staff of The Highland County Press were in place. Talk about your inauspicious beginnings! This was a real nice "Welcome to the neighborhood, now get out."
To make matters worse, not long after the Brock and Stricker emails, we had two considerable thefts of our newspapers caught on security video at one of our larger media outlets. One may presume it was only coincidental, but the fact of the matter is this: There were other newspapers at this Hillsboro store, but only The Highland County Press copies were taken – all copies.
After the second theft, I filed a report with Hillsboro Police Chief Nick Thompson and, to keep things on a positive note, I also enjoyed a nice tour of the then-new HPD, courtesy of Chief Thompson.
The Brock and Stricker emails were forwarded to The Associated Press and the Ohio Newspaper Association but, business being business, neither acted on the information. (Which was no real surprise.)
I bring this up on the second anniversary of the thefts – as I did on the first anniversary, and probably will again on our third anniversary – because it's important for our readers and advertisers to understand that such tactics are hurtful not only to the newspaper, but also to its loyal supporters.
On the bright side, while there's been no formal apology, the reports of the thefts have subsided. (I think.)
Learning from history is a good thing, of course. But we've got more important things to focus on. We have a very busy month ahead of us, with high school, NFL and NCAA football, the Major League Baseball playoffs, a general election on the not-too-distant horizon and then, the excitement of the holiday season. (And more football!)
Our second anniversary of publishing Highland County's only locally owned and operated newspaper is not all that important in the grand scheme of things. What is important is that we continue to do our best to present the news in a fair and accurate manner, and we continue to produce locally designed ads with similar accuracy for our wonderful advertisers.
Believe me, your support is appreciated and has not gone unnoticed. Because of that support, we did not increase our advertising rates in 2009 or 2010 or 2011. And if that support remains strong, I'll go out on a limb and say we won't increase our rates in 2012, either. Lord knows, we have a tough enough economy as it is.
Longtime Ohio newspaper publisher William Latham founded The Highland County Press 12 years ago and always maintained fair and reasonable rates. We'll do our best to continue that tradition.
Lastly, I must add that without the tremendous efforts of the HCP staff – Lisa Wharton, Angie Matticks, Stephen Forsha, Brandy Chandler, Caitlin Ryan and Rosemary Ryan (yes, I am related to the last two!), we would not be acknowledging our second anniversary. I thank all of you more than words can say. (I thank my family for putting up with my hours and occasional attitude, too! Thanks, Pam, Caitlin, Meghan and Colin.)
Mostly, I thank you, the people of Highland County for reading The Highland County Press and our website. We will never take your readership and support for granted.
Many thanks,
Rory
(Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.)[[In-content Ad]]