Blackfoot Valley Dispatch Pubishes Final Print Edition

Well, this is it. The final print issue of the Blackfoot Valley Dispatch.

From now on the BVD will be keeping Lincoln up to date at http://www.blackfootvalleydispatch.com, and since we're online we've done away with subscriptions. Our content is now available on the website with a free registration.

I know our decision to move to online-only publication isn't popular with everyone, particularly those of you who don't have a computer or just prefer not to be online. As I've said before, ending the printing of the BVD was the furthest thing from my mind when Erin and I bought the paper, but as anyone who hasn't been living in a cave knows, the entire landscape of the newspaper business has shifted under our feet.

On Dec. 5, 1980, The first issue of the Blackfoot Valley Dispatch (at that point without a name) appeared in Lincoln. In their opening message to the town, Marj and Ray Heinitz explained the purpose of the publication.

"First is our feeling that there is a need for the merchants and residents of the Blackfoot Valley to have a means of advertising locally, and our attempt to acquaint you, the residents of the valley, with the products and services these merchants have to offer.

It is our hope that you will support the merchants whose advertisements appear in each issue, and that you will use this publication as a tool for your service, convenience and enjoyment."

In other words, it was mostly just a way for local businesses to advertise. Although the Lincoln Valley Chamber of Commerce produced the "Lincoln Up to Date" that covered local news and happenings, it featured few ads. For several years, the BVD had enough advertisers that it could be distributed for free.

Over the years, that changed dramatically even if it wasn't obvious at first. Printing and paper costs went up, advertising went down, and more people started using the "World Wide Web." Today, the internet is ubiquitous. More people are getting their information online or through social media; more businesses are advertising on social media, forgoing traditional advertising, despite its inherent advantages. Eye strain from looking at screens has replaced ink from newsprint as the side effect of following the news.

Following COVID, that change seems to be permanent, but I can't blame people who don't follow us to the internet. The online world can be a really confusing and ugly place. But we fond ourselves in a situation of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

While I won't miss the hours spent designing and laying out the BVD, a jigsaw puzzle in which some of the pieces don't show up until the last minute (especially if I'm the guy who's supposed to be supplying them), I will miss seeing all that work come to fruition in the physical world.

How the future of the BVD will play out from here remains to be seen. I know we have a big learning curve ahead of us. Everything about our production schedule will change, and what we offer to our readers, or at least how we offer them, will have to change in some ways as well. The next month or so might be a bit bumpy as we take some time to step back, regroup and get used to being a fully on-line publication.

But even as an online news source, remember it's our advertisers who keep us in business. Be sure to support the merchants whose advertisements appear on our website. They depend on you, too.

I know we'll make mistakes as we adjust to this new way of producing and distributing news, but I hope you'll stick with us and find us online for local news and information. And you never know, if things work out over time, we may even be able to kick out the occasional print edition, just to get keep Lincoln's story out there in the real world, typos and all.

And like I said before, If you don't care for the BVD, stick around too just to see if it goes all pear shaped. After all you can access the website with free registration.