5,000 Local Newspapers Have Disappeared… Avoyelles Won’t Be One of Them.

Dr. Jay Callegari

Co-Director, Building a Better Avoyelles

Over the past two decades, nearly 5,000 local newspapers and media outlets have shut down across the country.
The rise of the internet, national cable news, and social media has changed how people get their information.
In many cases, communities have been left without a trusted source that reflects and understands them.

The Consequences of Losing Local Media

This has real consequences.
When local media disappears, so does the thread that keeps a community informed and connected.

In places where people lose their sense of local identity and stop hearing about what is happening down the road or across town, the impact is measurable:

• Education suffers.
• Health disparities grow.
• Incomes fall.
• The overall quality of life declines.

Local journalism once gave people a shared story.
Without it, people feel isolated — even in their own hometowns.

A Growing Rural Problem

For a long time, this trend was mostly seen in large urban areas.
But now it is happening in rural communities too.
We see it in Avoyelles Parish, and we believe it is time to act.

Our Mission: Building a Better Avoyelles

That is why our nonprofit, Building a Better Avoyelles, stepped in to acquire Avoyelles Publishing and its three newspapers and website.
This is not just a business decision — it is an investment in the people of this parish.

Running the newspaper under a nonprofit model allows us to:

• Put more resources directly into journalism.
• Upgrade our technology.
• Expand our website.
• Launch a new mobile app that makes local news more accessible.

Your Support Matters

Our vendors, advertisers, and supporters can feel good knowing their dollars are helping the community.
When they advertise with us, they are supporting a mission that puts people first.
They are helping preserve the local identity of Avoyelles Parish and ensuring that our residents remain informed, connected, and proud of where they live.

The Heart of Our Vision

If we are going to build a better Avoyelles,
it starts by making sure people know what is happening in it.