A day to celebrate the importance of local news

Hagadone Media Group newspapers today are joining 1,300 news outlets across the United States to participate in the inaugural Local News Day as a founding partner.

The new initiative is intended to highlight and celebrate the importance of local news outlets — like the Daily Inter Lake, Hungry Horse News, Whitefish Pilot, Bigfork Eagle, Lake County Leader, The Western News, Clark Fork Valley Press and Mineral Independent — and their critical role in building strong, connected and informed communities.

That mission underpins our work as an independent news source that has served Northwest Montana for more than 135 years. From reporters who cover late-night school board and city council meetings to those providing sideline coverage of high school sports, our newsrooms are committed to keeping readers informed about where they live and the issues that affect their daily lives.

In an era of deep media skepticism, local news outlets overwhelmingly rank as the most trusted source of information for most Americans. At Hagadone Media Group, that trust was built over time — often through generations of valued readers — and will never be taken for granted. The editors and reporters working here today stand on the shoulders of a long line of heralded local journalists who helped shape the publication you are reading. We serve as temporary caretakers of a trusted news source that ultimately belongs to the community.

We hope you will join us in celebrating Local News Day by actively engaging with our news team. Reach out to a reporter with a news tip to help shape coverage you believe deserves attention, or write a letter to the editor to share your perspective on a local issue. We want to hear from you so our work continues to reflect the diversity of voices that make up Northwest Montana.

Gratitude goes to the local businesses that advertised in today’s newspaper in support of Local News Day and the mission to preserve local journalism, and to the loyal readers whose continued support makes our work possible. Thank you for helping us carry forward our legacy of trusted local reporting.

If you value independent and local news, please consider supporting our work by contributing to the Inland Northwest Journalism Foundation Fund For Western Montana. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support.