Who says local news is dead? Not the Magnolia Reporter. (2024)

A tip of the hat to Mike McNeill of Magnolia who’s forging ahead with an investment as a local news provider during one of the news business’ darkest moments.

McNeill is publisher/editor/everything of the Magnolia Reporter, a hyperlocal digital news source in Magnolia that has competed successfully against well-funded competition. It’s just passed its 10th birthday, a time that has seen the competing Hussman-chain-owned Magnolia Banner News go from daily to weekly publication.

McNeill’s news today is that he’s purchased a building downtown for a real office (rather than a spare bedroom) for the newspaper. A portion of the building will also be his residence.

“There is no better location in Magnolia for a business likemagnoliareporter.com. This will be a great place for staff to work, to meet the public, and to generate the revenue that every business must have to survive.

“magnoliareporter.com continues to grow. Our new location makes a statement that our readers can trust we’ll be a pillar of Magnolia for years to come,” McNeill said.

Come Google, Facebook, coronavirus or what may, I hope he’s right. And my apologies for dropping the second ‘l’ in his name in the original post.