Local newspapers are important for all
The Saline Courier has been serving the residents of Saline County for 145 years.
The Saline County Digest, as it was known after being founded by W.A. Webber in 1876, was published weekly in a sevencolumn folio with an average circulation of 1,000.
In November 1883, Col. Samuel Houston Whitthorne bought Beavers’s interest in the paper and renamed it the Saline Courier. Whitthorne was the father-in-law of prominent
Benton doctor, Dr. Dewell
Gann Sr., owner of the Gann House and office at what is now the Gann Museum on S. Market Street in Benton.
A fire destroyed the Courier office and all of its contents in December 1883. The paper replaced its lost materials in 15 days.
Following a brief period as the Times-courier, the name changed to the Benton Courier in 1905, holding that brand from 1905 until 2010 when it once again would become The Saline Courier.
Today, the Courier still runs its “daily miracle” of providing news and information to the readers of Saline County. It is owned by Horizon Publications and managed by Publisher Kelly Freudensprung.
For decades, newspapers were the only source or reliable information prior to invention of radio and TV.
Today, though, newspapers still hold great importance to readers in keeping the public informed.
Local news is precious for so many as they keep the public informed regarding topics and discussions that do not make the news channel or radio waves.
Newspapers serve as sources of material and keepsakes alike, such as publishing family, friends’ and neighbors’ photographs.
Aside from scrapbook materials, the paper also helps the public understand what is going on in government with legal notices (court-mandated public advertising), meetings, agenda issues regarding everyday life and much more.
Subscribing to a newspaper, especially a local publication, is not money lost. It is knowledge gained regarding what is going on and things that are changing daily as cities and people grow.
The Courier takes an unbiased eye to everything it publishes. From front to back, truth is the focus of its reporters to its readers.
“Keeping the public truthfully informed in a world of ‘fake news’ is our top priority,” said Saline Courier Managing Editor Josh Briggs. “Our staff strives to provide the public with information needed to understand what is going on around our communities, in our schools, our government.”
For less than 35 cents a day, one can subscribe to the Courier for a year and keep informed on everything happening in Saline County. Also, a months worth of coupons can save the cost of a subscription.
“A local newspaper does not claim to be or want to be like the New York Times or USA Today,” Briggs added. “We at the Courier are here for our readers and residents alike. We enjoy telling the story of that extraordinary person that no one knows.
“On the flip side, it is still our job to tell the stories of criminal actions, deaths, hardships and anything else that can be read as depressing or bad news. For 145 years, this publication has been driven to provide as much information as possible to Saline County.”
Businesses are struggling and money is tight, especially during a global pandemic. But subscribing to useful information can be a gem.
“Subscribing to the Courier is a gift — and cheap,” Briggs said. “No where else in the world can you see photos of your friends and family, the ones you attend church with. No where else can you find precious memories of Jimmy’s game-winning touchdown or little Susie’s kindergarten graduation or the birth of your daughter’s first born.
“Facebook, Twitter and any other social media post cannot be cut out and posted on the refrigerator door and kept forever. But a cutout of the Courier can do just that.”
In a world revolving around the internet and electronics, the Courier has adapted as well, offering online services such as the daily eedition aside from its print products.
Subscriptions are also available for online only if desired.
“We at the Courier enjoy and cherish what we do,” Briggs said. “We are here for one purpose — give the people of this great county what they deserve — the truth, memories and information. I believe we do a great job of providing that.”
The Courier is located at 321 N. Market St. in Downtown Benton and can be contacted by calling 501-315-8228 or by email at news@bentoncourier.com.
The Courier publishes its daily newspaper Tuesday through Sunday and can be purchased at many places around the county for 75 center per day and $1.25 each Sunday.
For more information, visit www.salinecourier.com.
The Encyclopaedia of Arkansas contributed to this article.