Ken Hawkins

This I Believe

I believe that local newspapers are about connecting locals to what they need to know and want to know.

I believe that to the reader it doesn't matter who has the story, only that they can find their way to it.

I believe that good reporting on the Web requires writing built around links, why else would they call is Hyper Text Markup Language?

I believe that links reduce the cost between publications to near zero -- in print you must choose only a few, unless you have $50 to spare and don't mind lugging about 50 pounds of paper.

I believe that the reader should be able to directly respond to the publisher, that the reader be able to ask the community about the story, that the reader can use the paper to tell their community their story.

I believe that newspapers are not about newspapers, they're about communities and giving communities a place for an open dialog.

I believe newspapers represent the collective will of a community. Read by, paid for by, and supported by a community of readers and businesses.

I believe newspapers have not been made worse by the open nature of the Internet, but that the Internet allows a far more open, responsive, and connecting newspaper.

TheDigitel was made to reflect these thoughts, and I believe TheDigitel is a better community newspaper.

• Web site: http://allaboutken.com/work