Saturday, August 30, 2014

Subverting the leviathan press the old fashoned way with a new fashioned twist.

Some seditionist old fart speaking at the July 4th parade in Westcliffe, CO, earlier this year.
It is with embarrassment that I am just now getting around to discharging some promises I made to myself and others on my trip in July out to Colorado. One story that I was fascinated to learn was that of George Gramlich's Mountain Publishing and the Sangre de Cristo Sentinel.
Like many rural places scattered across the country, the "traditional" community newspaper in Custer County, CO, was and is operated by owners with a decided liberal and Democrat party bias. Starting on 4 July of last year, Mountain Publishing was founded to provide a counterweight to this long-standing collectivist monopoly. As the paper proudly declares, the Sentinel is:
A newspaper to serve the good people of this county, surrounding counties and our neighboring communities located along the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. A newspaper with a conservative voice. A newspaper with "A DIFFERENT VIEW FROM THE SAME MOUNTAINS" than what is available now. A newspaper for all liberty and freedom loving citizens and patriots. We believe this is a much needed "CHOICE" in these beautiful, mostly rural, areas of Colorado. The Sentinel (also knows as a Sentry) is a Guardian. He watches over, protects, informs and warns us and others of danger. There are many current dangers to our liberties, freedoms and rights. So, first, we need to be informed, then we need to stand up for and be prepared to protect these liberties, freedoms and rights. Lastly, we need to remain vigilant. This newspaper will be our Sentinel and help us all do that.
And the amazing thing is that this weekly has been remarkably successful, with a business model that can be duplicated, I think, with good results in other places. With a lean and mean staff of just three paid staff and many willing volunteers, when I was there it had built up a circulation of 1100 that reaches well beyond the county, which according to the 2010 census had a population of only 4,255!
Printed on the presses of the nearby Pueblo Chieftan, in July the Sentinel had subscribers in 30 states all the while providing hard copy news and opinion to the local market. As George told me, "We provide a conservative/libertarian voice that isn't available in the liberal-owned papers that usual dominate in most areas. We cover local scandals that otherwise wouldn't be covered." Gramlich added with pride, "We have harnessed the power of the press" to the discomfiture of local politicians and especially the local Democrat party.
Instead of cursing the collectivist darkness, George urges others to emulate their success. "Get off your ass, start your own paper, and make it happen."
George welcomes inquiries from others interested in starting their own versions of the Sentinel. The Sangre de Cristo Sentinel and Mountain Publishing Company, Inc. are located at 610 Main St., Westcliffe, CO 81252. Their phone number is 719-783-3360.

1 comment:

Paul X said...

"Like many rural places scattered across the country, the "traditional" community newspaper in Custer County, CO, was and is operated by owners with a decided liberal and Democrat party bias."

Well, it seems they are equally likely to be fascists. Most newspaper editors never met a "public-private partnership" they didn't like.

Of course the distinction between left-liberal and fascist is mighty thin...