If everything goes according to plan, the first Newsberg print edition will be rolling off of the presses at Oregon Lithoprint in McMinnville, Ore., on Tuesday morning. I hope to be there, like a catcher calling for a fastball, at the end of the printing press ready to receive the very first Newsberg print edition.
As I wanted this to be a test, this first newspaper will not pretend like it’s going to be a new weekly installment. It’s a special edition for the Newberg Old Fashioned Festival, with 16 pages of festival events, stories, games, and information. There are eight total color pages, with eight black-and-white pages. The cover has full art (one of my favorite photos from last year’s parade), and the back has full art of this year’s festival poster.
It is through and through an information publication — one that captures the spirit of a group of volunteers who worked hard to pull the festival together after a year of stop-and-go confusion due to construction at Renne Field, a large vendor dropping out, etc. — while also providing a ton of useful information that will help neighbors feel comfortable and excited about attending the annual community celebration.
I’m planning to go straight from the press to the town and drop off piles of papers at your favorite locations. I’ll go to my standard spots where I drop the printed newsletter, of course, but I’ll have 2,000 copies in my truck and promised my wife I wouldn’t let a flat take up permanent residence in our attic. So if you’re a local business, organization, or community space, expect me to come through with a stack.
I’ll also be distributing all week at various local events, including Tunes on Tuesday, Chamber’s Greeters, the Thursday NOFF Kick-off party at Columbia Bank, and during the festival parade on Saturday morning.
While this is a one-off special edition (sorry for anyone who thought they could start receiving Newsberg on their doorstep every week), it is also a test. Newsberg is still a one-person show, with help from some freelancers who help me fill in the gaps. I’ve learned, through this process, that it would be nearly impossible to do a full print edition on my own without some help.
In short, it’s a lot of work, and the financial commitment is relatively massive, but it’s work I think will be essential for this publication as we look forward to setting deeper roots. There are a lot of aspects that make this make sense. For one, it’s been a consistent ask from the community — readers and advertisers alike — to get a printed edition rolling. There is data to suggest we as a society are rolling back to analog as the internet and social media continue to commercialize and the rise of AI forces questions of reality.
But outside of that, there is real opportunity financially. Not only have several advertisers expressed their desire for their ad to appear in print, but there are a few other revenue streams that are unlocked by consistent, formatted, and distributed newspapers in the community. It’s something I’m really gearing toward as I look to strengthen this company, hire reporters and other staff, and continue to serve this community through verified, trusted news and events.
If you’re thumbing through this print edition, clipping articles to share with friends and family, learning new things about your town, or participating in an event, consider supporting Newsberg to help me make it happen for us. Each day, we’re growing and learning, and we’re now at the point where we can take this move seriously and ensure that Newsberg’s hyper-local news and information can persist through any storms that come our way.
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On that note, I do want to thank everyone who helped make this particular issue possible. First off, I’d like to thank Samantha Butler, our freelance designer, who not only designed the full template but laid out this particular issue, which was no small feat. The publication went from eight to 16 pages practically overnight, and she managed all of that with determination, grit, and poise.
I’d also like to thank all of the advertisers who purchased space in the first Newsberg print edition — many of whom were some of Newsberg’s earliest advertisers. I only opened advertising to current and former advertisers to start, and the paper was sold out in a few hours. That commitment took a massive weight off my shoulders, and for that I’m incredibly grateful.
Also a huge thank you goes to the Austin Family Foundation, who awarded Newsberg a grant that covers printing and development costs for this print edition. That grant took printing this edition from a loss to revenue positive, and that means we can breathe a little easier this month. The Austin Family Foundation does so much to support our local community, and Newsberg is incredibly proud to be on their roster.
And of course, thank you, readers! Each and every one of you who open the emails every Tuesday, who post and comment on social media, who contribute monthly or one time, who share stories with friends — you are the engine that keeps this thing moving forward. Thank you so much for trusting me with your stories week-in-and-week-out.
Lastly, I’d like to thank my wife, Meryl. There are many times with Newsberg where she supports my ideas no matter how crazy, and this project is no exception. I was completely in the weeds last week trying to pull this all together before print time, and she sacrificed her own time to make sure I could spend the time needed to get it out the door. Not to mention, on top of creating the entire Newsberg brand, she hand-illustrated the festival map you’ll find on page A7. A true hero behind the scenes, without whom none of this would be possible.
If you see the print edition around, please pick it up. Pick up a few and share them. Enjoy the tactile blessing that is newsprint, with nothing distracting you from the words and images. Knock out that NOFF-themed crossword. Clip a story and share it with a neighbor. Connect with the world around you.
This is your newspaper.
— Branden Andersen
Newsberg Founding Editor
Find the Newsberg Newberg Old Fashioned Festival Special Edition around Newberg and Dundee at local businesses, gathering spaces, and the festival itself from July 21 to July 26. To request a copy, email Newsberg via the contact page or via social media.
