There’s a new move in the newspaper industry to unfortunately – get out of the newspaper industry.

A big city financier apparently has plans to take out-of-business newspaper names and try to convert them to websites.

Rest assured, that’s not us.

We’re excited every week when you pick up your newspaper. We hate the move to try to reduce newspapers to “clickbait” websites.

These websites operate under the guise of publishing local news and information. In fact, they’re more a scheme to get you to click on the three biggest of one thing or the four most expensive homes in your neighborhood. If you’re lucky, the ads that were on that page are going to follow you the rest of the day, whether on your phone or on your computer.

It has nothing whatsoever to do with supporting community. It’s an attempt to gouge the community for profit, and it gives all true local newspapers a bad name.

Now stick with me here. This isn’t The Paperboy pontificating again about newspapers. Let me have my say, please. I get alloted room for about 500 words a week, and because I own the place, nobody gets to tell me what I can write about. And you came here to read this. Let me say my peace!

The sanctity of the local newspaper and its part in the community are extremely important to me. We put that sentiment into ink and paper, and we’ve doubled down on our investment into the community. Another local business owner said something to me about a year ago that really hit home. “When you’re done doing this, there probably won’t be a local newspaper here anymore.”

I certainly hope that’s not true, but when these websites that purport to be offering local news start popping up, it means our work is cut out for us.

We’ll keep working. A lot of things – not good – happen in a community without the voice of a printed local newspaper. Sure, we’re not going to tell you the 14 best convenience stores to get a hot dog that’s been on the roller less than two hours, but we’re going to make sure you know what’s going on here.

So, if there’s rumblings that someone plans to join the market, so be it, but clickers beware! It’s just a push for profit, not an effort to help Main Street USA.

We don’t collect “data” on our readers, except that information on your address label.

We’re here with a purpose, and we know the responsibility of publishing a local newspaper. We’re committed to it now, and we’ll be here as long as you allow us to keep doing it.

We know every business model is going to be flawed if there isn’t profit at the end of the story. But we also know that the newspaper serves a vital service and is an integral part of every successful community.

We’re proud to publish your hometown newspaper.

I do have to admit, though, that I am intrigued about which gas station has the best hot dogs. Someone click on that and let me know. I don’t want to go the rest of the day with my phone serving me sausage ads.