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By Virginia Ray
SHELBURNE FALLS—Two struggling local newspapers will cease publication and a new one, the West County Independent, will arise, following the decision by West County News owner Turley Publications, Inc. to sell the weekly to Shelburne Falls Independent principal Jeff Potter.
Potter, who also edits The Commons in Brattleboro, Vermont, has already formed a nonprofit, West County Community Media, Inc. and intends to model the new paper somewhat on what’s being done in Vermont, with an overseeing board of directors, which is in process of being recruited.
The every-other-week SFI began in July of 2004. Managing Editor Virginia Ray and reporter Don Stewart are the only part of the founding team that remains at the paper today.
Mike Bakalar of Heath founded the weekly WCN in September of 1979. He sold it in September of 1986 to Lawrence and Virginia Michie, who passed the helm to Marjorie and Dick Matthews in January of 1992. They sold the paper in September of 1999 to Randy Capitani of Vermont, and he sold it to Turley Publications in April 2004.
Potter, Ray and Advertising Manager Linda Rollins hope and expect that the new paper will publish weekly. Turley will continue publishing the West County News until the transaction takes place Sept. 1.
The road to this decision has wended through many months of discussion starting in February, when Douglas L. Turley, vice-president of publishing, and his brother, Keith, executive vice-president, began talking with Potter. The men’s father, Patrick, is also active as president of the company, which owns 15 other newspapers and three specialty publications in addition to providing commercial printing services for other newspapers and clients.
“We meet with our competitors quite a lot, and we did when the SFI started,” says Doug Turley. “In the course of our conversation [this year], we talked about newspapers today and our West County region and that there were two competing papers and that they were both struggling, and what is best for that area — and what is best is one vibrant newspaper instead of two good but struggling newspapers.
“The community is best served by one strong paper. Our feeling is that we don’t have cookie-cutter papers,” Turley continues. “You let the community be the soul of the newspaper. So, we went back and forth as to whether we would buy the Independent or whether Jeff would take over the West County News and it was better that the paper be locally owned.
“Jeff, being a local guy and having strong ties to the business community. . . the key is local ownership up there. That’s the best for the community as is one newspaper. Times are tough, and I just think it comes down to one is better than two and it can succeed.
"Jeff is in a unique situation to be the one to make it succeed. He’s put out a very good product for four years. I think it can work and consolidation needs to happen and local is key. It’s a terrific area and it’s been a lot of fun. I think we made some improvements, and I think Jeff can take it further. It really came down to what’s best for the newspaper and what’s best for the community.”
“Now, the history and continuity of the West County News returns to Shelburne Falls, where even the Turleys say it belongs,” Potter says. “West County citizens should join me in thanking Pat, Doug and Keith Turley for wanting to see the paper and its 30-year legacy in the community’s hands and for making that possible.”
Subscribers to both papers will receive all issues that they are owed and advertising negotiated with either paper will be honored.
“If we do our job right, we will retain the best of both papers,” Potter says of what’s to come. “I’m deeply proud of what we have done here over the past four years.”
The SFI staff will take a summer break to reorganize and recapitalize, but readers/subscribers can catch up on news and get more information about an exact launch date for the new paper at www.sfindependent.net or by calling (413) 625-8297, where directions will lead you to specific contact information for staff members.
Shelburne Falls Independent / 8 Deerfield Ave. / Shelburne Falls, MA 01370 / (413) 625-8297 / fax (866) 858-0388
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