There was an alarming article in The Atlantic magazine recently about a secretive hedge fund “gutting newsrooms” across the country. The article focused on a once pillar of journalism, the Chicago Tribune, being cut to pieces in order to realize short-term profits for its new owners.

We should be worried that now over half of the newspapers in the United States are controlled by financial firms. Yet, it is not just a matter of Wall Street hedge funds, buying and then “gutting” the staff of a newspaper to increase profits. It is a question of the viability of newspapers in a time of digitized news and social media.

One of the business problems newspapers have, is that people now don’t want to pay for their news. They will pay for a fancy cell phone and a faster internet, but there is a “pay wall” when it comes to supporting their local newspaper. Younger readers, especially, want a “free lunch” when it comes to the news.

When a local newspaper disappears, the article asserts that it “tends to correspond with lower voter turnout, increased polarization and a general erosion of civic engagement. Misinformation proliferates. City budgets balloon, along with corruption and disfunction.”

In other words, a viable local newspaper provides a “check and balance” within the community. It also is the primary means in many communities to keep people talking with and trying to understand each other. Everything from the obituary page, to local happenings, state and national news, local sports, or “letters to the editor,”–are all an important part in keeping communities together.

That is one of the reasons that I write articles for this local daily newspaper. I believe that it has an important public function in giving us a sense of community. We are also fortunate that is not owned by a Wall Street hedge fund.

What can be done to maintain the viability of the local newspaper? Obviously, newspapers must change and embrace digital media. For a while, it looked like the New York Times might not make it. But, now its digital presence exceeds that of its printed page. Advertising revenues have come back and the Times is on solid financial footing once again.

It is critical for newspapers that subscriptions be maintained and grow. Somehow subscribers to the Times stepped up to plate and were willing to pay for a digital subscription in order to preserve their newspaper.

I don’t know about you, but I would experience a big “hole” in my life if we lost our local newspaper. For the sake of community, congeniality, good governance, better understanding between people–however you describe the spirit that makes a community run–we need a local newspaper.

Let’s hope that our ours can thrive and survive in this very challenging time.

I buy the printed version every day at a local store. I also purchase the digital version so that I can read the paper when we are out of town. It’s whatever works for you, but taking the local newspaper for granted is not an option.

Rolland Kidder is a Stow resident.