As we bring 2023 to a close, I thought I would share some of my thoughts and feelings. If you decide to skip this little (heh!) article, I will not be upset and probably agree. Our website alone received over 11,000 unique visits in the final 30 days of December. We have hundreds of subscribers, which has been a huge growth for a paper with a limited staff.
As some readers know, I’m very much into competition kart racing. No, not the little machines you throw the grandkids on to play in the backyard, but actual racing machines. In 2021, I won a championship in Shifter Karts that do 100 mph, go 0-60 in about 3 seconds, about 1 1/2 inches off the ground, and will leave you feeling like you just insulted The Rock’s girlfriend when you finish a 15-minute race. We get new people in karting, and I love watching the kids drive (generally, they start on slower karts. They only do 45 mph!? My favorite thing is that these kids don’t know what is impossible and push the limits like crazy. Luckily, Karting is incredibly safe, and of course, the old hands educate drivers on safety first. But you see things and realize what you didn’t think was possible most certainly is.
This year, I ran into the same thing. See, here’s the thing: I’m a gearhead, and my education is mainly in IT(Information Technology.) I’m much better with websites and computers than with writing things down. While I enjoy writing, I don’t consider myself a writer. This year, I walked away from my “dream” business selling kart parts and rebuilding motors for people. Why, you ask? I needed the time to run the Gazette full-time and put 100% effort into making the paper successful. I think it’s possibly one of the greatest things I’ve ever done, and I’ve been a dad, a grandpa, a volunteer firefighter, a soldier, and so much more! This little paper holds promise, and I think it’s critically needed.
When we took over the Augusta Breeze, it would be Karen’s paper, and I’d help out here and there. Then, we saw this huge void of print media in Great Falls. There is the Prairie Star, which is mainly agriculturally focused, and the Tribune, which currently only has sports and political reporters in the area. Large out-of-area companies own both of these papers. There were rumors of another paper coming back, but we knew the publisher wanted to get out of publishing and had their existing paper for sale. We needed a 100% locally oriented paper, one that was dedicated to sticking around.
So, to do the Gazette, I knew I’d have to step into the publisher’s shoes. I know how to promote a business and events (both sporting and music). I do all the messy, behind-the-scenes stuff. Ensure the paper is printed, mailed, and delivered and that ads are created in the proper place and time.
It’s a job that includes dealing with suppliers, equipment, and tons of licensing. I am a cheerleader, and once in a blue moon, I’m allowed to write a piece or two. I deal with lawyers, bookkeepers, the government, and upset readers and advertisers. I get to get high-fives, and I also reassure people that things WILL get better and that we truly care about what our readers want. Every day, I look at what we, as a paper, can do better.
In 2020 and then again in 2022, I lost children to suicide. It’s a subject that is very close to my heart. I’ve had to console people who likewise have lost family to this scourge called depression. It tears me up and also reminds me that every story is about a real person, and while we may not know them or know why they do what they do, they ALL have feelings, and the most respectful thing we can do every day is tell the stores that they need told, and only tell the truth.
In 2023, we opted to start the Gazette at a difficult time for Great Falls and ourselves. We had no idea how to run a subscriber-based newspaper and got good and bad advice. We listened to people and tried things. Sometimes, we didn’t get it right and had to step back and make changes; sometimes, we hit the nail on the head and had former newspeople say we did it right. And sometimes, we did it wrong, and it worked BEAUTIFULLY!
We also decided not to use a web-offset press for printing. At first, I was told I would lose my shirt, and no one would want a small format paper, and bleached 20lb bond was too expensive. We smashed it and are now working to help print another paper. I guess that one wasn’t so wrong. We bought printing equipment that was hacked together and substandard, and we discovered that saving a little money upfront could ultimately kill you. Lost out on that one. Sometimes, it’s frustrating and irritating, and the pressure can be insane. And while I may complain a bit about being busy, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
We’re learning from our mistakes, sometimes when someone points out where we’re headed wrong. We have had so much good advice, and it’s been a real treat. And we are always trying new ideas. Some will work, some won’t, and some will involve some tweaking to make it just right. I think Great Falls is better for the effort we have put into the paper, and we can’t wait to show what we’re working on now. Here are a few things that are coming soon.
We started work on the Buzz, a separate promotional paper for events. We feel that we had the right idea but didn’t have the staff to pull it off, and another group got an event system up. So we put the Buzz on the shelf for a while. This year, it will likely be revived as a page in other publications we produce.
Foxys Market: FM will be our new classified section/paper. Notice that slash? It will be part of the Gazette, but we’ll also have it separate to help promote the larger paper and be its own vehicle. Initially, it will be stripped down, but I expect to see this grow. It will initially be part of the Great Falls Gazette Lights paper but eventually will stand on it’s own.
We’re making HUGE changes to our display ads. Offering ads in more areas of the paper and a better system for rewarding frequent advertisers that do a lot to keep the price of each issue low. As far as I know, we’re the only print publishers that do not charge extra money for color ads.
As most of our longtime followers know, we WILL be getting an office open in town. This is so vitally important. People need to be able to pick up papers, drop off payments, get help with their subscriptions, and have a great place to print our papers, as well as client papers, mailing services, delivery and courier services, etc. A lot is coming up, and if we continue to grow as we have over the past five months, I think the sky is the limit for us. I’m so glad you are with us; it will be one heck of a ride!
Author: Andy Anderson
Andy is publisher of Foxys Publishing Co, as well as pressman, ad sales, distribution and sometime janitor. He occasionally makes a wild attempt at writing but quite often is seen running around our offices trying to "Get 39 million things done today..."
