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| Image: CGP Grey |
Written by Josh Warburton
The only constant in life is change. Every month for 19 years, I’ve been basically doing the same thing—producing this newspaper for our local communities—and yet, it’s always changing. For all of those years, we have followed a fairly similar format and mission of providing coverage of the arts, music, and entertainment of the greater southern Utah area, with a smattering of opinions and news coverage for good measure.
That said, we’ve always augmented that core, changing with the times and producing a number of different products over 19 years, including a Home Guide, Independent Shopper, and Southern Utah Business Mailer, which we produced for 8 years.
Clip-n-Save was one of the first of those augmentations, started in our second year of business. We have continuously produced a Clip-n-Save section monthly ever since. At that time, it was distributed 100 percent through direct mail, and we’ve direct mailed at least a portion of the total circulation every month since. Next month that will change. We will instead focus that energy and resources for those clients and for all of our advertisers online on SUindependent.com.
We now have many more tools and opportunities available online and are expanding those all the time. In addition to the environmental impact of not having to print and deliver a mailed component, the savings will enable us to hire a social network and publicity person, an exciting proposition for our little company.
Another exciting announcement is the brand new addition to our publishing family you’ll see right now in the printed copy (if you’re reading this in print). Our brand-new Zion~Springdale Guide is part of this May edition, and you probably noticed it sticking out the top of this copy you’re reading. This new guide for Zion Canyon contains a much more enhanced feature set, including events coverage, town news, annual schedule, map with shuttle schedule, detailed dining guide, a message from Springdale’s mayor and more. We’ve also launched Springdale.co (no, that’s not a typo) as an online complement, so please check that out. Hope you all enjoy it, and happy reading.
