Saying, “I don’t need newspapers; I get my news from the internet,” is the same as saying, “I don’t need farmers or ranchers; I get my food at the supermarket.”
This is one of my favorites. Yes! 100%. Insert high five emoji!
Two weeks ago I wrote a story about the potential closing of Mullen’s Pioneer Memorial Rest Home. I posted it on the Tribune’s website (www.hookercountytribune. com) on Monday, Feb. 14 and shared the link on the Tribune’s Facebook page. It ran in that Thursday’s issue of the Tribune, along with Hyannis’ Grant County News. The North Platte Telegraph ran my story on Friday. And the Kearney Hub. And it was a top story in the Lincoln Journal Star. Then the Omaha World Herald mentioned my story in one of their own stories in the Sunday, Feb. 20 issue. The Thomas County Herald ran pieces of my story in their paper the next week.
The story that this newspaper journalist wrote had 2,676 views on the Tribune’s website alone, reached 6,348 people on Facebook and had over 170 Facebook shares.
It blew up. I had something that I wrote actually go viral.
But it was too late.
Just 13 days after holding the public informational meeting about the nursing home’s status on Feb. 9, last Tuesday, Feb. 22, the Mullen Hospital District Board voted to close the facility, with April 25 being the last day.
I certainly don’t blame anyone for this heart wrenching decision.
But as the community of Mullen’s Communication Specialist (yep, I just made that up), I’m disappointed that the public informational meeting didn’t happen months ago - or even ONE month ago. I’m disappointed that the newspaper wasn’t used to help inform the public of the severity of the problems even just ONE week earlier.
This is NOT a nursing home bashing column. My point is that the Tribune has over 700 subscribers across the U.S. with Mullen ties and the potential to reach thousands of people, thanks to the internet.
I hope that the reach of the Tribune will be used by public members for all aspects of life - the good and the bad - and sooner, rather than later in the future.