Local news should be fully produced by and for local people, with readers, not profits, as the first priority. That’s our belief. And that’s why we’re here - because we believe with our whole heart in that mission.
If you’re reading this, I’m thrilled that you’re now part of this new journey. I’ve spent the past 11 years doing my best to give White Lake area readers quality coverage of local sports, adding news last year. Madison Lajewski joined us only this spring and came in as an outsider, just like I did way back when, but she too has found a home in our area.
We’re going to bring that energy to the White Lake Mirror, which we launch in print this week alongside our friends at the Oceana Echo. The Echo has been working hard in Oceana County since the summer to fulfill the same mission we’re trying to fulfill here.
It’s news for you, not for a corporate office somewhere else. It’s not for profit, because keeping readers informed shouldn’t be beholden to a bottom line. And it’s free. In that way, we’re going back to the roots of area news. Some of you might be old enough to recall when the White Lake area’s newspaper was free - now it is again.
Launching this new endeavor was not an easy decision to make, to be clear. All things considered, we had it pretty good where we were. Honestly, the decision to launch the Mirror was far less about us than it was about you, the reader. We firmly believe this is the best way to give you what you want and what you deserve - quality local coverage - for the long haul.
And ‘local’ is the operative word. Everyone at the Echo and the Mirror is local. Our one and only office is in Oceana County. No one is flying in from another state to make key decisions about our editorial plans. We’re all here, and we’re all here because we want to be. We know you’re here because you want to be, too - and we want to be the ones to keep you informed.
We know you care about what’s going on with the White River Township solar issue, or what’s being voted on in the latest Whitehall or Montague city council meeting, because either you live there or someone you know well does. We know you care about the local basketball teams because you’re invested, or at least you have a relative, or a close friend, or a colleague who is. We know you enjoy Walk the Beat, and Pumpkinfest, and the Holiday Walk - because we do too. And we’re here to tell you what you want to know about all that and more.
We’re in our infancy, of course, and that’s why we’re starting as part of the Echo. As time goes on, and - hopefully - more and more of you begin to enjoy our product, we’ll aim to be our own separate publication. We’re also working on a website that will launch soon to offer even more access to what we produce.
In the meantime, we want to hear from you. If you’ve got a story idea, reach out to whitelakemirror@gmail.com.
