A printed newsletter? Why bother?

A printed newsletter! - why bother when we have the Internet? This question has been asked a few times and always by those who are comfortable on-line and who cannot contemplate someone without an internet connection.

This fact is: NOT EVERYONE has an Internet connection, a computer or a smartphone.

In 2020 just 89% of people used the Internet regularly, but this is a skewed stat because it takes in big cities with large populations, stable 5G and widely available free Wi-Fi. Rural areas are totally different, and I believe the percentage is well down from that national figure. The point is, not everyone can be reached by the Internet alone.

Lack of money, fear of the technology, the dread of being scammed online, all contribute to people’s anxiety about using the internet. For some, the world of apps, cookies, antivirus software, trackers, passwords, swiping, tapping, VPN’s and malware is too foreign to even contemplate.

Even when someone has everything they need to get on-line, the equipment, a connection, and the knowledge; there are still more problems.

When it comes to community conversations online, Facebook groups seem to be the go-to method but with all its bad publicity, some treat Facebook as something to be avoided at all costs. The number of unreachable people suddenly rises again.

Then of course there is email. There is so much junk, scam, and promotional email sent that it becomes risky and unreliable. Spam filters get ever tougher and can end up blocking genuine messages.

There is also a proportion of internet users that prefer to read longer articles from print rather than the screen. I’ve been using the Internet for decades. In fact, from a time well before Google, but I still prefer any lengthy reads to be from print on paper.

Relying on the Internet alone to reach the local population is exclusive. It ignores many people and fails to inform or help them

This is where the East Wolds Community Newsletter comes in. It’s free and delivered directly to homes. Local charities and community groups can advertise free of charge, whilst businesses can place ads which are kept at exceptionally low prices. Parishioners can submit articles and photos and express their points of view.

The aim is to have 100% coverage in the distribution area with extra copies available at various locations such as the local pubs. (If you are being missed out, please get in touch.)

Community groups, parish councils, local charities, and small rural businesses all benefit from being able to communicate at grass-roots level and a printed newsletter is the best enabler of that.

I believe the newsletter project provides a service which needs to be protected and supported.

What do you think?
Do we need a printed newsletter?