ON wins ROI award ON wins ROI award

Printed local newspapers have been a given for most of our lives.

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Over the last decade, however, what had become a fixture of most of our cities and towns is no longer a norm, but rather the exception – especially in rural communities.  The Owen News offers a testament to what is possible when a community pushes back against what might seem inevitable and in the process, finds a local solution to keep community members informed and connected.

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The Owen News, this year’s winner of the Quality of Place Innovation Award was recognized at Regional Opportunity Inc’s (ROI) Annual Report to the Region on Feb. 18 in French Lick. The Quality of Place Innovation Award recognizes projects and meaningful community improvements that enhance the Indiana Uplands as an inventive, industrious, and friendly place to live, work, and play.

“In an age dominated by national news and social media, local news outlets remain vital to the overall health and connectedness of small communities,” said Travis Curry, President of The Owen News Board of Directors. “By shining the spotlight on local government, achievements, events and challenges, The Owen News aims to foster a sense of belonging and shared community for our readers. We are honored to share this award from ROI with the entire Owen County community, whose financial and collaborative support makes it possible for our non-profit to focus on delivering the best journalism from Owen and the surrounding areas.”

As reported by Indiana Public Media in their series Paper Cuts, local newspapers in south-central Indiana have suffered steep circulation and staffing declines. This left many Hoosiers without access to truly local journalism—coverage that prioritizes their communities, not just regional or state-level stories.

In Owen County, the northernmost of the Indiana Uplands counties, The Spencer Evening World, once a vibrant daily newspaper had become a weekly newspaper and website, dominated by headlines about state government and news from other cities.

Unwilling to accept the demise of local news, the Owen News Project, Inc., the underlying non-profit behind what today is known as The Owen News, established a 501(c)3 non-profit in the fall of 2022 and received a $10,000 Large Impact Grant from the Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF) to launch and a $30,000 implementation grant to support the printing of the newspaper in 2024. Most recently, OCCF committed $300,000 to support the newspaper’s work. The foundation is also offering bookkeeping, administrative and fundraising support throughout the next three years.

“The Owen News fills a news gap in an Indiana Uplands community and, in the process, is offering a sustainable model for other communities to replicate,” the ROI press release reads.

“By restoring access to truly local journalism, The Owen News strengthens community connections and ensures that the stories, defining the Indiana Uplands as a vibrant place to live, work and play, are told,” said ROI Vice President of Economic and Community Development Julie Halbig.

“Traditionally, local news has only been tied to our democracy and holding those in power accountable. While that is certainly one of the many important aspects of local news, the impact stretches much further into the very fabric of our society and communities,” Executive Editor Nicole DeCriscio said. “Local news has a direct impact on economic development and overall quality of place and life. It is an honor to receive this regional award, which shows both the value that our part of the state places on local news and the recognition that local news is essential to thriving, successful Hoosier communities.”