Jackson Free Press

So, we're 2. Our determined little rag has defied the odds—at least the mythical barriers that some folks thought were absolute reality. I remember the skepticism from a handful of folks around town well: "Mississippians don't read!" "How are you going to reach out to the black community?" "You need to decide what you're going to be: a paper for North Jackson or for West Jackson. They already have their own paper, anyway." "Young people don't care about Jackson; they're just biding time until they can bolt." "What artistic community?" "This city will never support a progressive newspaper."

Now that the negative drivel is out of the way, I must tell you that the reason we did this thing was that people in the community wanted us to—even some of those skeptics I just quoted. Todd and I moved here to continue our free-lance writing careers, but nearer to our families. He could write computer books from anywhere, and I wanted to write a book about race relations in Mississippi. (Still do, but the story is still developing, I've found. That's good.)

When we got here, though, we discovered a fun little secret. Jackson was a "sleeping giant," as a consultant report for the Arts Alliance referred to it a couple years back. Artistically, politically, culturally, civicly, Jackson was a city ready to blow up. We could see it because we, frankly, had fresh eyes. We'd lived in other cultural Meccas where people took the reins and formed creative communities, and we saw that potential here. In fact, we quickly saw how many Jacksonians were already working themselves ragged to build the community they wanted to see here, to help lift the state up off the bottom. Some had literally worked for years for this city—but, often, to too little recognition or applause.

Todd and I happened to know something about the weekly newspaper business and the world of the Internet. We also knew that a community has to have a positive medium to celebrate its collective successes, and spotlight the barriers to further progress. Jackson simply did not have that medium: The daily newspaper was focused on money in the suburbs and spreading sensational crime news about the city around the state. (Remember the Weekend Best Bets—back then usually sending people out of the city?) Most of the daily media are corporate-owned. Some good stuff cropped up in weekly newspapers, but all of the outlets traditionally were divided by neighborhood and race. (A picture of a musician of a different race does not diversity make.) And the media did not, as a rule, reflect that Mississippi, hands down, produces the best writers there are.

The city needed a real, diverse, hard-hitting-yet-positive alternative newspaper. And fast. We figured out that we were probably the largest city in the U.S. without one, and also the only capitol city.

But we know enough about this business to know how hard it is to make it. You have to have business savvy, in addition to writing skills, to do a good alternative, and we had to decide if that was the road for us. And we had to do it on limited resources to maintain our independence.

Turned out, we didn't have much choice. The universe had its plan, and so did people we met, starting with Stephen Barnette and going from there. Everyone we talked to about the paper said we "had" to do it. They believed us when we explained the potential we saw everywhere we turned, and they knew that way too many community heroes went unsung. It made immediate sense to people when we explained how a truly local newspaper such as ours—that loves the city enough to rough it up a bit for progress, but not sensationalism—is often at the heart of a community's renaissance. It's really simple when you think about it: It takes a medium to help people find each other, know their common interests and even, sometimes, to learn the real motivations of people bent on destroying the community.

We work hard for those goals—but people here often give us too much credit, and that's the gist of this editor's note. Our success, and our content, and our reach are only as strong as each of you. A good newspaper is a reflection of its community, and we are blessed to have a truly breathtaking community to reflect. People in the city—regardless of political leaning—are the most determined to build a strong, creative, diverse city than any group of people I have ever seen. Everywhere I look, I see people who are simply stepping up, or stepping out: supporting diverse events and packing movie theaters on a Monday night so that this city can be all it can be, and to give our young people a city, and a state, to be proud of. You are all heroes.

My absolute favorite feedback has come from people whom I disagree with on certain political issues, but who want this city to have a variety of ideas, and people, and possibilities. And my own stereotypes are continually busted as I get to know people. I will take them both to task in future issues, no doubt, but I want to just say, for instance, that I have really enjoyed getting to know both City Councilmen Ben Allen and Kenneth Stokes, two men who are considered polar opposites, and sometimes troublemakers, but both of whom love the city, a fact that escapes the corporate media. I've had wonderful conversations with both, and even plan to be a guest on Allen's radio show soon, which I thought I'd never do. (Sans Mr. Nesbit, by the way. I have my limits.)

Another of my favorite people is the prominent Christian actor around town, John Maxwell, who appeared on our preview cover two years ago before I really knew much about him. He asked me the other night at the Crossroads after-party at Que Sera if I still like Jackson.

That question just makes me catch my breath. "I love it here," I responded. "I love the people."
It's simply true. I'm in awe of your passion. And I will keep spotlighting your efforts until the King Edward is renovated, and beyond. Thank you all for what you do, and for your support of the Jackson Free Press.

Now, pass me that piece of cake.

Previous Comments

ID

69396

Comment

"...The daily newspaper was focused on money in the suburbs and spreading sensational crime news about the city around the state. " Truer words have never been spoken. Maybe I just never noticed until then, but I don't remember the C-L sensationalizing Jackson's crime problem until after the turn of the centuy (damn...that sounds like a looooooong time ago!). But since then, it's been unreal. And to me, they make it seem like it's taking place in the heart of our business district and in every neighborhood in the city limits. It's chickenshit journalism, and I can't stand it. And don't get me started on Rusty "Mr. Agenda" Hampton, the sports editor.

Author

millhouse

Date

2004-09-23T21:17:57-06:00