Neighbors,
I didn’t set out to start a hyper-local news outlet at first. I just started paying more attention.
In returning to the area I had called home for the majority of my life, I started to do what I had done for many years in communities other than my own – embed myself as a journalist.
It didn’t take long to realize that this town of 20,000 has stories to be told, but not too many people were getting to hear them.
And even if stories did break containment, who was telling them?
The disappearance and mergers of local newspapers across the country, including Connecticut, have left communities with reduced local coverage as they take a top-down approach to the industry.
But it’s exactly that top-down coordination of legacy media that will sprout the bottom-up approach of hyper-local journalism within the news deserts that are left behind.
Too often in these cases, town discourse is left to social media. In a time when a Facebook comment can spread faster than a weekly newspaper, there’s a necessary evil of “being online,” so to speak, for today’s digital age.
But when there are questions to be asked – and the time has come to hold people accountable – who is asking them? Where are the answers being published?
The Southbury Record is the attempt at filling the local void, which revolves around community.
So I’m sure there are still plenty of questions…
Q: When does this thing start?
A: Our soft launch will take place during Summer 2025. Thank you for bearing with us as we make improvements to the website over the summer.
Q: Where can I find The Southbury Record? Are you a print product?
A: We publish exclusively online. We can be found at SouthburyRecord.com
Q: What should I, as a reader/citizen, expect from this?
A: Original content and stories that highlight our community, including town government, business and development, public safety, events, and more.
Q: How can I help?
A: Read. Share. Show up to local events/meetings and make yourself heard.
Q: How can I really help?
A: There will be partnership and advertising opportunities available soon. E-mail southburyrecord@gmail.com for more info.
The Southbury Record 