Editorial of July 25, 2024

We Are Committed to You—Will You Now Commit to Us?

In May 2020, Iron Spring Press contracted with Susquehanna Polling and Research Inc. to conduct a “Consumer Preference Attitude Survey” regarding its “Hometown Oneonta” free weekly newspaper. Residents of both the City and Town of Oneonta were asked a series of questions to identify their primary source of local news, whether or not they read “Hometown Oneonta” and, if so, how often, and whether or not—given the many challenges newspapers were experiencing at the time and continue to face today—they would subscribe to “Hometown Oneonta” if it were converted from a free newspaper to paid subscription.

You see, even four years ago, management was planning for the future, concerned not only about continually rising print and postage costs, but also about the nationwide decline of local newspapers. By that time, every other local or regional daily newspaper available in Otsego County had been swallowed up by some national or international giant with zero interest in our communities or our way of life.

The survey results indicated that more than 90 percent of the 9,000 households and businesses that receive “Hometown Oneonta” 52 weeks each year are “very” or “extremely” satisfied with Oneonta’s only locally-owned newspaper and would be “likely” or “very likely” to recommend the publication to others. Nearly 80 percent indicated that they would be “very” or “extremely” likely to subscribe to “Hometown Oneonta.”

Comments from our readers continue to reinforce these findings today: