Murray Bridge News is one year old today – thanks to you

A year ago today, I made a promise: “the newspaper might be shut down, but Murray Bridge’s story doesn’t stop there”.

The 12 months since then have been wildly exciting.

I remain optimistic about the future of your independent local news service, a service better positioned to be there when you need it, without the risk of someone in Sydney pulling the plug.

I’m not making a mint, but I’m doing what I love: creating community, empowering locals and projecting a positive image of our region whenever I can.

None of that would be possible without your support, whether you’re a reader, a paying subscriber or an advertiser.

Thank you.

In 12 months, Murray Bridge News has...

• Published 695 local stories, more than any other news outlet in the Murraylands
• Reached a weekly circulation of more than 1600 email subscribers (and growing)
• Been the first to break news about a water park’s rejection, Foodbank’s food hub, Callington’s Christmas movie and property developments galore
• Had the only journalist on the scene at ground-breaking ceremonies, respiratory clinics, op shops, award presentations, art shows and more
• Looked in-depth at local issues including our unemployment crisis, housing, public safety and main street retail
• Helped the Murraylands Swans find a new home and you find an emergency supply of face masks
• Kept our various councillors and parliamentary representatives accountable
• Launched regular features including Join In, Come and Try, Things to Do, Boots and All, Life Through the Lens and Walk of the Month (which will return when the weather improves)
• Dodged the Facebook news ban, for some reason

Which brings me to the sales pitch...

None of this would have been possible without your support, and particularly the support of the hundreds of you who are paying subscribers to Murray Bridge News.

Those of you who subscribed on an annual basis at the start will soon have your subscriptions come due for renewal.

Check your account status by clicking this button:

I hope I have done enough to encourage you to renew your subscription, and perhaps even to recommend Murray Bridge News to a friend.

If you’re a free subscriber, I encourage you to consider supporting Murray Bridge News’ mission – creating community, empowering people, being positive and being local – by taking out a paid subscription for just $5.50 per month or $60 per year.

If you’re a business owner or manager, I’d love to use my years of storytelling experience to help promote your products or services, and for a very affordable price.

Click on the image below for an advertising guide:

Without this locally owned, independent news service, members of our community risk being left in the dark based on the whims of a national corporation.

So what's next?

Firstly, you're invited to the official Murray Bridge News quiz night at Murray Bridge Club on the evening of Saturday, May 15.

There’ll be drinks, head-scratching questions, friendly competition and, yes, prizes (get in touch if you’d like to donate one).

In the coming months and years, in line with Murray Bridge News’ continuing growth, I hope to build a small team of local people committed to serving readers and advertising clients.

I’d like to open an office, not close one.

I’d like to help local businesses prosper, not fade away.

And I’d like this online news service to establish a real-world presence, a way of distributing local stories to those of us who prefer to find out about what’s happening in a form they can see and touch.

Stay tuned for more on those plans at an investment and sales event I’ll be ready to announce in the coming weeks.

But for now

Thank you to Keren and our girls, Audrey and Daisy, for your support; to Kurt Miegel, for filling in for me from time to time; to Peter Dalwood, Kevin Schrapel, Graham Hallandal, Daniel Irvine and everyone else who has contributed a story at one time or another; to the Murray Bridge council and every other business which has taken out advertising at some point; and to everyone who has offered a kind or helpful word.

I’ll see you out and about in our community.