Printed local newspapers have been a given for most of our lives. 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.
The Owen News, this year’s winner of the Quality of Place Innovation Award was recognized at ROI’s 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.
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.
Today, the newspaper’s free print edition hits newsstands monthly at different locations throughout the county, offering stories and features of significance to local residents. The Owen News covers local government meetings, offers features on community clubs, and includes opinion columns written by locals.
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.
“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.
Accepting the award was Executive Editor of The Owen News Nicole DeCriscio and The Owen News Advertising and Business Manager Lola Garrison.