STAFF REPORT
Today, August 17th, The Marshall County Post is publishing its inaugural edition. The goal is to keep its readers informed and enlightened with a wide variety of articles concerning the county and its residents from Lewisburg to Chapel Hill. This is a newspaper produced by local people, for our community.
“As Shelbyville’s and Lewisburg’s long-time newspapers abruptly left the market a month ago, we saw a need to serve the community with locally-produced community-based journalism. We were able to keep the team together and have worked hard to tell the stories of Marshall County. A great community needs a great community newspaper and we want to meet that need here—just like we have in Tullahoma for nearly 50 years. We have a strong tradition of service while producing award-winning work,” said Lakeway Senior Vice President Keith Ponder.
Joining Ponder’s team at Lakeway Publishing will be Diandra Womble as general manager; Patti Blackburn as office manager; Chris Siers as sports editor; Carol Spray and Mary Cook in pagination and layout.
“This Post team has years of experience, knowledge, and dedication, and serving our community is our number one priority,” said Womble.
Womble noted that the community can help by subscribing and advertising. For $49 you get an entire year of the Post sent to your home every Thursday. With advertising, it will help businesses reach customers, and with the paper’s affiliation with Lakeway Publishers, Inc., advertising can be regional.
“The Marshall County Post is also your source for advertising your business within your community as well as regionally within Southern Middle Tennessee. I, personally, look forward to helping you grow your business with endless possibilities,” she said.
Lakeway also publishes The Bedford County Post, The Tullahoma News, Manchester Times, Grundy County Herald, Moore County News, The Elk Valley Times, The Marion Tribune, and The Herald Chronicle located in Winchester.
In addition to serving the community, Ponder says it is an honor to enter a market with such a rich news tradition.
“This is another exciting event in the life of our company. Most of our newspapers are over 100 years old and the Post is just an infant. It’s a different strategy on a new launch, but we are very encouraged by the warm welcome we’ve had as we’ve organized the start-up,” he said.
Starting a newspaper from scratch is something Ponder said is exciting even to veteran news professionals.
Ponder wants the Post to work hand-in-hand with the community to build the publication into a shining beacon.
“You can expect the Post to inform the community, to connect the community, and to celebrate the community. We will be extremely local. We are about hometowns in our company. We are Tennessee-based, family owned and have deep roots in communities across the region. These communities are the foundation that built our company,” said Ponder.
By subscribing and supporting The Marshall County Post, readers will be helping to continue the rich tradition of news organizations Marshall County.
“In an era where newspapers are struggling it’s critical that we do our best work to serve the community, but it’s also it’s critical for the community to support local community journalism,” Ponder, added. “We will work hard to earn that support, but we need the community to advocate on our behalf for local journalism, to read local journalism and to support local community journalism by subscribing and advertising. It will take all of us.”
Womble added, “We ask for your support by reading and subscribing to the Bedford County Post- to stay updated on all local news & events, obituaries, community happenings, church, sports, government information & school news.”
The Post is also actively seeking applicants to fill the position of editor. If interested, send a resume to…
