These photos represent just some of the news and sports coverage the Nance County Journal has had this past year. NCJ file photos
Do you value local news coverage?
It costs most subscribers 87 cents per week to have an issue of the Nance County Journal delivered to their mailbox. For a $45 annual subscription, you have been able to stay up to date on what is going on in and around Nance County.
You read that right. Just 87 cents.
A candy bar at Casey’s can cost $3.49. A 20-ounce bottle of pop is $2.89. An iced coffee can cost several dollars. Meanwhile, a week’s worth of local news, delivered to your mailbox, has been costing less than a dollar.
This newspaper takes countless hours each week to produce. From covering school board and city council meetings to roaming the sidelines every Friday night during football season, the NCJ staff works hard to bring you an award-winning product.
For nearly two years, we have been looking at ways to keep the subscription price where it was. But the numbers eventually made the decision for us. The cost of producing and delivering the newspaper has continued to increase, while the subscription price has remained the same.
“We looked at ways to not have to raise rates,” NCJ co-owner Rick Holtz said. “We even discussed what it would look like if we ceased printing and transitioned completely to a digital-only model. But at the end of the day, we know that people like holding a printed newspaper in their hands.”
The biggest expenses for any newspaper are printing, postage and people. The NCJ spends about $42,000 on salaries. Printing costs about $15,600 and postage — which just saw an increase in July — costs about $9,880 per year.
The Nance County Journal has about 500 subscribers. Under the old rates, subscription revenue brings in right about $22,500 each year. Printing and mailing alone costs $25,480 each year. When you spread that printing and mailing cost across all 500 subscribers, it equates to costing 98 cents to print and mail a newspaper that the subscriber was paying 87 cents for.
Beginning this month, the Nance County Journal is increasing its annual in-state subscription from $45 to $55 per year. That’s an increase of $10 for an entire year of local news and sports coverage — about 19 cents more per issue. That works out to about $1.06 per issue. Out of state subscriptions are increasing to $65 per year.
Digital subscriptions can be purchased for $40 annually. Print subscribers can create a free digital account to receive access to the NCJ website and e-edition. The e-edition is emailed to subscribers Tuesday evening.
In addition to the subscription rate increase, the NCJ is also implementing a modest increase to advertising rates. With the increase, all advertisers will receive added exposure on the NCJ website.
The Nance County Journal has been covering Fullerton and the surrounding area for almost 150 years. With your continued support, we look forward to being a part of the next 150 years.