It all started with the ‘news’ of a new Bojangles chicken sandwich.
After publishing CityView Magazine for almost two years, our team’s frustrations had only grown as we saw the “ghost“ newspaper town that Fayetteville was becoming. As secret discussions about selling our Fayetteville PWC utility and allegations of abuse of power by elected officials were becoming known, we saw limited coverage in the local newspaper.
Instead, we continued to read click-bait headlines on its front pages, like the announcement “Bojangles adds fried chicken sandwich.” We were reminded each day that our daily newspaper was making the decision to use its limited news resources to cover the local food scene, and to ignore the growing issues in our community, which increasingly were negotiated in the dark.
It is times like this that challenge our beliefs about the importance of our citizens having access to objective local news, and more important, what each of us is prepared to do about it.
Long-time journalist Bill Kirby and I had studied for months how we might leverage CityView, our successful lifestyle magazine, and use those resources to add local reporters and begin to cover local government with a free daily newsletter. From those planning sessions and discussions with many previous Observer reporters, all who shared our concerns, CityView Today began publication in early 2022.
Our news reporter was initially denied access to one of the first City Council meetings we covered. That decision did not stand that night, and it has not stood during the hundreds of local government meetings the CityView Today’s news reporters have covered since.
Today, tens of thousands of Fayetteville residents receive a free newsletter each morning with information about their community, their elected officials and how their tax dollars are being spent. We live in a more informed community, one with more transparency from local government.
CityView has received national and state recognition for our efforts, including the N.C. Press Association’s Freedom of Information award. But more important, we proved that a community can have a profitable local news reporting operation that generates the funding needed to cover local news.
It could not have happened without the commitment of many previous Fayetteville Observer news team members. They learned well from the likes of Ramon Yarborough, Pat Reese, Bob Wilson, Tom English Jr., and Charles Broadwell. They understood we were indeed “not selling shoes here.” From Bill Kirby, Kim Hasty, our beloved and late managing editor Lorry Williams, investigative reporter Greg Barnes, editors like Bobby Parker and Scott Parker, talented writers like Paul Woolverton, Janet Gibson-Uffinger, Earl Vaughan and Jason Brady, along with Cindy Burham’s great photography, CityView Today’s early success was built on our commitment to provide our readers the news they need from the people they could trust. They were joined by new journalists who shared the same goals to tell our stories. Each worked countless hours with minimal pay because of their commitment to journalism and their love for this community. We are indebted to each of them for their commitment and passion.
It is hard work. The old business model of newspaper no longer works. Success requires commitment — to new revenue streams and to old-fashioned local news reporting. It requires a combination of a solid business operation and community support.
Over the past year we have focused our attention on making our successful local reporting model sustainable and finding a path forward for CityView and CityView Today to ensure they continue during these tumultuous times for news organizations. We can’t be happy with the status quo, but we have to commit to work to continue to grow our news coverage and to ensure that local news is always available to our residents.
Since the summer, we have collaborated with The Assembly, a statewide news organization that is hiring great journalists and telling compelling, revealing stories. Founder and Editor-in-Chief Kyle Villemain is committed to building a sustainable news reporting operation in Fayetteville and throughout our state. Many of the positive changes you have seen over the past months — deeper stories by experienced reporters — are the direct result of our association with The Assembly
CityView Media recently signed a letter of intent with The Assembly that will begin the gradual transition of ownership of the for-profit CityView Media to them. This change will result in even more resources and reporting in our community. I am convinced it represents the best option for a sustainable news operation in Fayetteville. You can reach Kyle at kyle@theassemblync.com to share your thoughts on CityView’s news coverage.
The nonprofit CityView News Fund will remain separate with its own board of directors committed to supporting local news in our community. I will assist in their efforts to raise funds and to provide fiscal oversight to help ensure that all funds raised will support news reporting in our community. And I will continue to update you with frequent The Last Word columns in the coming months.
It will not be easy.
Continuing to find the funds to support and grow our news coverage will be challenging. Finding a way to inform even more people, especially in this time of fragmented digital media, will be critical.
A free and aggressive press has flourished in our community since the early 1800s. We have seen peaks and valleys like every community with changes in technology and ownership and the changing interest of different generations. Unlike many parts of our country, we can say today that our community is better informed than it was just a few years ago.
None of us can predict the future. But history has shown us that our community is a better place when our residents are informed and engaged with the important issues of their lives. CityView and CityView TODAY’s commitment to that belief has never been stronger. With your continued interest and support we will help watch over your elected officials, hold them accountable to you and report on the critical issues of our time, and share the faces and stories of our beloved community.
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The Cityview newsletter has become my go-to source to find out what is going on in this community. I have recommended it to several others who have thanked me as they were dismayed at the decline of substantive news reporting in the local paper. Thank you!
I love City View and have for years. I want the news and it NOT BE BIASED MEDIA! Thank you for your artical and thank you for your service to our community.
I am glad you are doing this.
All that can be said is: “Thank you”!
Someone/something must be done to protect us from the current corrupt Fayetteville City Government.
Thank you The City View team for the great work in recent years. Change is often difficult for all. I look forward to continuing community service by all.
I believe you have Fayettevilles best interest at heart.
I love CityView. Keep up the good work you are doing. When I get up in the mornings the first thing I do is grab my cup of coffee and go straight to my phone for CityView.
Keep up the great work; we support you! Sometimes we, the people, think all of government is mired in darkness. Thanks to you, a light is being cast to help everyone understand what’s going on.
Great work that you and your staff provide. I recently read that the absence of a working and diligent free press breeds corruption. I believe this is true. Keep up the good work, and we shall help in every way we can!
CityView is my primary source for local news. Recently I ended my subscription to the Fayetteville Observer after decades of being a devoted reader. I appreciate CityView’s timely and comprehensive coverage. Thank you for the excellent option you give Fayetteville readers.