SPRINGFIELD—I often challenge reporters to write about “place” in their articles to create a more immersive experience.
That’s why we opt for in-person meetings and interviews whenever possible. Details within those spaces create mood, imagery, emotion, and understanding that can only be observed and articulated through presence.
There’s a lot of power in that.
Since 2021, our “place” has been our newsroom on A Street in Springfield. The Springfield Chamber staff broke out their humorously large pair of ribbon-cutting scissors to celebrate.
We wrapped an equally humorously large Chronicle logo banner (wrong dimensions, oops) around the walls that enclosed the “bullpen” – our four-cubicle workstation for reporters – that interns, staff, and passersby affectionately signed with a Sharpie marker.
We painted the walls emerald green and plastered them with awards, local art, and photos of our staff on the beat – Bob Williams visiting Romeo, the World’s Largest Steer; Ron Hartman interviewing living legends in their living rooms; Noel Nash tabling at the Cottage Grove High job fair; Seth Thompson learning the ropes from senior reporters on the sidelines of a game.
I studied the photos of staff on the beat, their eyes bright, immersed in the experience. Then I looked around the newsroom, which had empty seats and a calendar page unturned on the wall.
We are short on staff right now, and even when we aren’t, we are at our best when we are physically out in the community, not sequestered in an office.
Redefining ‘newsroom’
So by the end of April, we’ll have turned in our keys to our newsroom. But we are not throwing in the towel.
We’re shaking up things, redefining a newsroom, reducing our overhead, and getting out into our real newsrooms – the communities we serve.
The Chronicle Community Newsroom approach will steep our reporters in our communities, increasing our exposure and interaction with the public by meeting them where they are – at local hubs like our libraries, coffee shops, and bookstores.
“We’re eager to engage with our sources and readers where they live – literally, where they are active and out in the communities we serve,” Nash said. “It’s an exciting concept and a natural evolution for our news and information business focused on hyper-local coverage.”
The Chronicle has partnered with eight businesses and organizations to bring this concept to life:
• PublicHouse, 418 A St., Springfield – Our home base
• Prime Time Sports Bar & Grill: 1360 Mohawk Blvd., Springfield
• Springfield Public Library, 225 5th St.
• Cottage Groove Books & Music, 637 E. Main St.
• The Bookmine, 702 E Main St., Cottage Grove
• Cottage Grove Public Library, 700 E Gibbs Ave.
• Blue Valley Bistro 116 Melton Ave., Creswell
• Creswell Public Library, 64 W. Oregon Ave.
Their support for this endeavor has been incredible and encouraging.
“We hope by supporting the Community Newsroom that local journalism and the community’s needs are aligned to the benefit of both,” said Greg Ingold, who owns Cottage Groove Books & Music in Cottage Grove with his wife, Lisa. “We hope it inspires innovation and collaboration between the newspaper and the communities it serves.”
As for the logistics, we’ll have a home base and working address at the PublicHouse, where we’ll have staff meetings and scheduled working hours during production in the shared workspace offices on the second floor. Off-deadline, you’ll find staff at our other Partner Places. We’ll plan and promote days and times readers can find us, inviting folks to pull up a chair and connect.
“The idea of the Community Newsroom is taking journalism back to its roots. If you want local news, hang where the locals are,” said Seth Clark, who owns Blue Valley Bistro in Creswell with his wife, Melissa. “Can’t wait to see what unique perspectives come out of this experiment.”
The Chronicle each week will publish the various locations where our team will be visiting.
Erin Tierney-Heggenstaller is the co-owner and executive editor of The Chronicle. You can reach her at [email protected].
