Bitter news

While this newspaper celebrated its 200th anniversary last week, a smaller paper in southern Arkansas has just called it quits. After 121 years. It’s a grim reminder for those still fighting the good fight in this industry. The economics are difficult as print advertising continues its plunge. And publishers struggle to find a better business model.

We’re shifting our subscribers to iPads for the statewide edition in a move to keep providing Arkansawyers with a solid source for local news. But that probably wasn’t an option for Little River News in Ashdown. Last week, the paper shut down.

“At this time, I can see that a different solution to publishing Little River News is a better fit for the county. As such, the Little River News will suspend publication after publishing our Nov. 21 edition in hopes that a new publisher and staff will step forward to resume publication as soon as possible with the Little River News name,” one of the co-owners, Mica Wilhite, wrote.

Another small Arkansas town is without its newspaper, just like Arkadelphia, Hope and more. A county’s size has no bearing on its community’s need to know what’s going on at city council and school board meetings.

Newspapers tell you who is running for office, what will be on the ballot, who was convicted or acquitted in court and lots of other valuable information communities need.

And in a world where lots of small businesses fail in the first five years, a newspaper running for 121 years is worthy of notation.

We share hopes with Mica Wilhite that the paper gets what Don Henley called the rarest of opportunities: a second act. Godspeed, Little River News.