Isms: Views on life in rural America

Good things come to those who wait. Or, sometimes, you have to flesh out details of a project before all the pieces come together. In this instance, the second statement hits the mark.

For two years, we have wanted to establish a reader panel for SAM. Why? We believe listening to reader feedback is a solid way for our weekly product to continue to grow.

We believe SAM has an invested group of readers and we feel it’s important to connect with you, whether you’re a print subscriber or prefer the E-edition. We see it as a win-win, you learn more about the process we go through and we learn what you think is working and what needs improvement. Think of it as a casual brainstorming session with outstanding results.

The first step: an invitation. We would like to assemble a group of 5 to 15 people who will commit to a quarterly gathering. There, we’ll talk about specific topics as they relate to news and we’ll brainstorm ideas and challenges. The gatherings will last from one to two hours (we’ll provide snacks and drinks) and will be informal. Ideally, we plan to meet in each Summerland community.

We believe journalism that adds value for readers is our top priority. We believe community journalism is essential in the democratic process. We believe a weekly newspaper is the local historian, capturing moments in time that must be documented for future generations.

Community newspapers play a vital role in achieving the aforementioned goals. And now, we’re asking for your help to make SAM an even stronger publication. Will you join us?

If you are interested in joining the panel, email [email protected] and we’ll share a survey link.