Editorial: Merry Christmas and thanks for reading

Christmas is just a few days away, and in a little over a week in will be 2017.

This is a perfect time of the year to say thank you to everyone who reads and advertises in the Whitehall Ledger.

We truly appreciate your business and support.

I often times here newspapers are a dying breed, but I don’t’ think that is the case for a small town paper like the Ledger. Someone told me the other day they don’t read the Ledger and know a lot of people that don’t. Sure, some people don’t, but I’ve got the circulation numbers that say different, and that doesn’t include the additional people who read a paper that comes in the mail or is purchased at a store. One paper that goes to the library could be read by 20 people, so that does nothing but increase the actual number of people who are reading the paper. I know not everybody will read the paper, nor does everybody go to the same local restaurant, but I know a lot do and that goes to show the importance of a local paper.

There are some larger newspapers that are losing readers to the web or social media, but this really isn’t the case for many smaller community newspapers in the United States.

We certainly understand how the changing role of technology, and are proud of the new Ledger website and are overwhelmed at the traffic coming to the site. We had a story earlier this year with nearly 6,000 views. When the Whitehall High School football team was making a run at a state championship, breaking news stories about the team on the website were getting as many as 900 views. That goes to show people are looking online as well as in their homes or businesses with the printed copy.

As we look to next year, we will continue to develop the website, but won’t forget about the actual printed copy of the paper.

We know a lot of people look forward to when they get the Ledger, and in 2017 we will continue to provide the area with coverage of Whitehall and the surrounding area.

Thanks again for doing business with us and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

JHS