Today, on the official, nationwide Local News Day, we are proud to announce that Macon Sense is once again covering local, Macon County news and community stories.
By no means is this website complete, yet Macon Sense is alive again. And, we are committed to the modern world.
The key difference from the former version of Macon Sense, originally launched in 2023, is that we now are digital only. The news and community stories will be anywhere you want it – on your phone, tablet and computer.
Now, some of our traditional advertisers (and readers) may disagree with this decision. That’s OK. We applaud them nonetheless and wish them more success than they can handle.
But, we see the data. We’ve always reached the older generation with our digital products. Yes, Virginia, older folks are online. All. The. Time.
Thus, with a dedicated digital format and mindset, we may be the first local, Macon County newspaper to reach the younger generation.
We will give readers the information they want, in the ways they crave. So, follow our Facebook page and Instagram, bookmark this link, and sign up for ourfree email subscription. Local news is coming to you, where you are.
Now, you may be asking what changes? Well…
Here’s what stays the same
- A newspaper that honors God and our Christian Faith,
- Still free,
- Still advertiser supported,
- Still locally owned,
- Same quirky name: keeping true to our community’s sense of humor and the freedom that comes with living in a small mountain town,
- A commitment to our professional staff, and to developing aspiring writers (Truth: we couldn’t do this without Deena, Dan, Amy, Katie, Deb, Chris, Anna, Shana, Daryna, and so many others),
- News coverage that is complete and “just the facts”,
- Community stories covering our history, local nonprofits, businesses, community members, events, and more, and
- Locals, part-time residents, and travelers still can read us.
What’s new
- A strictly digital newspaper. Now our regular (and new) readers can take us anywhere.
- New ownership.
- Publishing is virtually daily. We will be the closest thing to a daily newspaper in the seven counties west of Buncombe/Asheville.
- Deeper stories about news, events, trends, and our community.
- Government Alerts: finally, readers will see all local government announcements almost immediately.
- Obituaries: Our print newspaper had it, now the digital edition will.
- Classifieds: they’re coming.
- New voices: our opinion page will grow with interesting new (to Macon) voices, and sometimes with a broader global view too.
- New website features designed for the digital age. And,
- New readers…we believe we will reach a younger generation. They may not read print newspapers, but they still want important information.
Our original charge is still true too
Just over two year ago, my good friend Casey Wilson, the original Macon Sense publisher, used a perfect quote from Thomas Paine’s 1776 book “Common Sense” to explain the original thinking behind the launch of the paper, “I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense.”
Wilson continued, “Those are exactly the foundational principles that inspired Macon Sense, a ‘new’ community newspaper for the citizens of Macon County. Our goal…with every issue going forward is to provide a quality publication that supports free speech, righteousness, tradition, history, Faith, and family values, with a commitment to factual journalism and objectivity.
“Thus, this is our aim: a newspaper that honors God. A source of light in an age of dark news. To create a paper where young journalists are trained to report the facts and not their opinions. To provide an outlet where local leaders, pastors, teachers, business owners, mothers and fathers, field experts, and guest columnists can write. A community newspaper that informs you about today while also casting hope for tomorrow.”
I was there at the beginning, as my marketing team built and ultimately maintained the website and social media channels. I can assure you the new Macon Sense team still couldn’t agree more with Casey’s sentiments.
Now that we’ve announced, launched, posted, and explained this part…Happy Local News Day!
In advance, we say thanks to Franklin, Highlands, Otto, Nanthala and all the precincts, neighborhoods, coves and communities . You get it…
Let us know what you think, give us the heads up on news items, and keep Macon County the most beautiful, wonderful county in North Carolina and America.
