MOUNT VERNON — The Skagit Publishing press whirled to life last night, unfurling large rolls of newsprint and depositing ink onto pristine paper to produce the first print edition of Cascadia Daily News.
This morning, Northwest Washington woke to stacks of the new newspaper in the corners of favorite coffee shops and near grocery store checkout lines.
“The first print run was a milestone moment for Cascadia Daily News staff and for people who enjoy the experience of reading a printed paper,” said Ron Judd, CDN’s executive editor.
Papers filled with local news, photos, opinion and sports coverage can be found at more than 50 locations throughout the region for free (for now) every Wednesday. In the future, Cascadia Daily News will charge $1.50 for the print edition and launch a subscription service, providing unlimited digital access to the online edition and delivery of the weekly print edition by mail.
Cascadia Daily launched online Jan. 24, publishing stories daily at cascadiadaily.com. Approximately a dozen reporters, editors, photographers and interns have spent early mornings and late nights working from right in the heart of downtown Bellingham to better inform the Whatcom and Skagit communities.
“Hardly a day goes by that we don’t get positive feedback from our readers,” Judd said. “It has been very encouraging and rewarding so far.”
The new publication is owned and fully funded by Whatcom County native David Syre, a longtime local developer and now artist.
“Cascadia Daily News gives people an opportunity to engage with local journalists in ways that help educate and inform others,” Syre said. “We appreciate each person who has read the newspaper or shared a news tip so far.”
With dozens of new online-only, independent publications popping up around the country desperately trying to fill the quickly growing “news deserts,” it’s an anomaly that Cascadia Daily is offering a print publication.
The United States has lost approximately 60 daily and 1,800 weekly newspapers since 2004, according to a report from the University of North Carolina.
The Pew Research Center reported that digital circulation of newspapers rose by 27% in 2020, excluding data from industry giants such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.
Consumer desire for local, vetted information online has coincided with downsizing or closure of longstanding newspapers by chain ownership groups.
To meet the desires of its digital readers, Cascadia Daily is posting stories online in real time, while still providing the print edition for those who love inky hands and reading local happenings over a cup of coffee.
Currently, the Local Journalism Sustainability Act is making its way through Congress in an attempt to support local journalism and stop the demise of independent local news outlets.
The act would provide tax credits for newspaper subscriptions; provide payroll credits to employers for up to 50% of employees’ wages; and provide tax credits to businesses who advertise in local media.
If the legislation passes, many newspapers — Cascadia Daily included — would benefit financially, allowing them to maintain or expand news operations.