Content for slow summers

Community journalists sweat it out during the summer in more ways than one, and back-to-school brings relief to more than just parents. Community newspapers have a tougher time keeping the flow of interesting news and features during the summer months as compared to their counterparts in large markets who have more people, more events and more news to report.

Community newspapers rely a lot on schools for content. However, other factors slow the flow of news because businesses have fewer promotions during the summer, and there are fewer outdoor activities.

Here is way to increase your content: Invent anniversaries.

1. Make a list of major events that changed your community in past years, such as a new business area, school campus, annual community event that started or major construction that effected an area.
2. Look back in your archives at the past stories and devise a before/after angle to report on. How is the community different since the highway was expanded? How large has a community event grown? How has a new administrator improved operations? What has a charity organization done to improve the community?

3. 

   Severe storm damage is an excellent story to revisit.

   To save time, use much of the content and photos from your archive and follow up with a quick interview and maybe a new photo.

Here is another idea if you are approaching or have arrived at back-to-school time; arrange to speak with a few teachers or administrators and ask them what is the earliest first day of school they remember and what was their feelings, edit each response into a paragraph and list them on a page with a small headshot of each person. If you may already have headshots of teachers and administrators on file and can do the whole thing by phone. Do the same with sports.

Instant content to ease your hot summer will cool you off better than a snow cone in the shade!

Christopher: amosnews@yahoo.com