When we purchased HopNews in December 2022, our operating premise was that we would continue to publish “good news” stories. There certainly are a lot of those in Hopkinton. This is a town where people want to live, work and worship. Our schools are superior, it’s incredibly safe, and neighbors are friendly and welcoming.
So for the first month we did just that; published press releases, pictures of kids winning games, and community events.
But in January, we received an anonymous tip about a veterinarian in town who was in trouble with the state licensing board. We investigated and printed our findings, and it set off a firestorm of comments. Today, the series on Dr. Margo Roman and her M.A.S.H Veterinary practice remains the most read for 2023.
What we learned from the comments and the private messages we received was that people in Hopkinton value investigative journalism and want more of it. Encouraged, we later went on to research and identify the source of PFAS in the Fruit Street well, expose Eversource’ lax security measures at the Wilson Street LNG plant and call out the head of the Democratic Town Committee for attempted electioneering. More recently we continue to report on the trial of the former Deputy Police Chief and the Select Board’s recent drama with police promotions.
We believe the role of journalism is to hold those in power accountable. This strengthens democracy, because the truth informs the populous, they express their will at the polls, and what is produced is a more just and equitable society. Reporting is a solemn responsibility and one that we humbly accept. Although it is sometimes painful, we believe this work strengthens Hopkinton in the long run.
But it does not come without a cost. Countless hours are spent researching, interviewing sources, and analyzing data to produce these articles.
Today we introduced subscriptions to HopNews. At just $2 per month, we believe our digital subscription is affordable to nearly everyone. We will not be locking all of our content; much of HopNews will remain freely available. We also recognize that HopNews is a critical resource to many, and those on a fixed income may not be able to afford it. For them (and students), we’re offering an exemption. No fussy forms, just shoot us an email and we’ll make sure you get access.
Our plan is to build our subscriber base to a level that funds our hiring goals. We want more reporters bringing you the good, bad and the occasional ugly in Hopkinton.
Hopkinton is a two newspaper town; one is “free”, and in it you get the rear-view mirror: what happened at the Select Board meeting, who died, and a local kid doing something great. Those are important topics. But in HopNews you learn what’s really going on in our town, and what it means to you, your family, and your wallet.
We’re grateful for the support you’ve shown HopNews, and thank you for helping us continue to hold truth to power.
– The Editor
P.S. If you think this is a bad idea, please let us know in the comments below or drop us an email!
I appreciate the investigative reporting you have provided. It’s a great value for $24 a year.
I, for one, am a pretty frugal person and generally require a high return on investment to justify incremental spending. Perhaps even more importantly, managing subscription-based services adds complexity and hassle to my life and I am loathe to add more. By pricing your subscription at a reasonable $2 a month, the ROI is attractive, however the mental cost of adding another subscription to keep track of will keep me from subscribing for now. In general, I much prefer ad supported content, though I recognize that path can be perilous for a news organization. If the paywall content is interesting, relevant and something I can’t get elsewhere, I will reconsider. For reference, the New York Times has not managed to get me to subscribe either, despite the high quality and relevance of their content.
I am interested to see how this experiment turns out. I often find my way of thinking to be out of sync with the mainstream, so you may find great success with this approach. I am appreciative of the work you have done to shine light on overlooked items within our community and am hopeful you succeed either way.
Hi R.W. I certainly understand your concerns about managing ongoing media subscriptions, as I am almost 70 years old and my memory is not what it used to be! However, many of the top investigative newspapers, magazines, and journals charge for their content. That is because quality journalism requires a substantial investment of time and energy. Our town is incredibly fortunate to have HopNews watching out for us. They have already uncovered some very substantial problems in our small town, and there will be more to come. I am more than happy to subscribe for quality, and HopNews is the very best quality.
The level of investigative journalism is as good as you’ll find anywhere, imo. I believe you when you mention the countless hours of work it takes to bring us such compelling stories that we would otherwise know nothing about. $2/month?
I believe you’re undercharging by quite a bit. Happy to pay!!! Thanks and now go bring us another great story!!!
Hi Jim: I agree. Our town is very fortunate to have HopNews and their excellent investigative journalism.
I was shocked to read this at first, but the level of quality journalism you bring is so worth it. I also see your heart in this article by offering free subscriptions to the student and senior population. I love that it is not like Netflix wherre I can not share my account with family outside my home. I am proud to be one of your many subscribers.
Investigative reporting is hard to find these days and understandably expensive. The subscriber fee is reasonable, yet some will resent it. It will also undermine your ability to get the word out more broadly, particularly to out-of-towners and others who only visit your site on occasion. At the risk of complicating the situation, I suggest you also (1) have a promotional option to lock in this reasonable rate; and (2) have a per-article rate for those who would not be regular readers.
Thank you for giving me a way to contribute to Hopnews. Its a very small price to pay for the insights into local news and politics, plus the invaluable investigative journalism.