Fall 2007 - SCOOP Magazine

and some friends had an opportunityto create a paper that addressed theseissues and went from there.Mitchell said they devote a considerableamount of the paper topolitics, covering council meetingsand other governmental issues. Hesaid they always try to include featurestories, community calendar,around-town news and cover the issuesaffecting schools.“There really is no news that’s toosmall once you get inside the paper,if its Oak Ridge-based. That’s whatpeople love about us. There’severything from an annualbook sale to a church’s petfest. People love the fact thatwe’ll run their small, little announcements,”Mitchell said.The paper has a large sectiondevoted to opinion becauseMitchell thinks that newspapersare a good way for peopleto discuss different topics. Hesaid there are lots of letters tothe editor and local columnistssharing their views. Mitchellsaid the paper doesn’t have aliberal or conservative slant,but they instead focus more oncommunity matters.“We weigh in editorially waymore on local issues … peoplerespect us because we have a position…wehave strong views onlocal issues,” said Mitchell. Hesaid most newspapers are afraidof making advertisers mad andbelieves people want to read a paperthat isn’t afraid to take a standon different matters.Although the paper is distributedfree of charge, it still has about 300paid subscribers. Mitchell stronglyfeels the majority of the subscriberswant to support a newspaper that isfocused on their area.“These people are very glad to havea locally owned paper and one that’sexclusively focused on Oak Ridge.The community feels like it’s theirnewspaper,” said Mitchell.Hellbender Press was started by UTjournalism students Rick Vaughnand Thomas Fraser. The two met infall 2007an environmental journalism classand started the paper with a $1,000investment with co-founder MikeKnapp in December 1998. Fraser, whois no longer with the paper, said thepaper is geared toward people concernedwith environmental issues.“It caters to those who think themainstream media does only a marginaljob reporting and addressingthe issues affecting the health of boththe public and the great outdoors ofEast Tennessee,” Fraser said.He said natural resource reportingis not completely absentin Knoxville. He said Hellbenderwants to accompany the environmentalreporting that is beingdone as well as give ideas thatare not necessarily conveyed bythe area press. Fraser said thatthe paper wants to further enhanceconnections with anglers,hunters, environmentalists andpreservationists.Fraser said the paper also encouragesdevelopment of localbusinesses by having affordableadvertisement.“The paper also serves animportant advertising resourcefor small businessesthat might otherwise be unableto afford print advertising,”Fraser said. He said thebusinesses that advertise inthe paper draw on the humanand natural resources in theKnoxville area.He said Hellbender hasbeen able to stay competitive againstmedia consolidation by maintainingspecific local coverage on acommunity.“Some of the greatest print publicationsthe world has ever seen arestruggling with declining readershipand advertising revenue,” Frasersaid. “Many are turning to intenselylocal and community coverage toboost their sagging fortunes.” He saidHellbender has followed that modelfrom the start and that is the reasonthe paper is still around nine yearslater.