Essential to our communities: In COVID-19 crisis, Kentucky newspapers step up to help
When Kentucky’s first cluster of COVID-19 cases emerged in rural Harrison County, The Cynthiana Democrat newspaper took immediate action to help keep its community informed. The weekly paper, which has 2 reporters, published a special section with essential information on the novel coronavirus and sent it out to every household in the county.
“Don’t Panic,” said the banner headline. “But instead be prepared.”
These are unprecedented days in communities throughout Kentucky, the United States and the world, as the novel coronavirus spreads, wreaking medical and economic damage in its wake.
Kentucky’s newspapers, large and small, in digital and in print, are taking action to keep our communities informed on everything from the latest news about the virus itself to the importance of social distancing. We’re providing resources and connecting citizens in our communities who are affected by the unprecedented steps being taken to stop the spread of the virus. And newspapers are stepping up for their communities even as we’re directly affected, too – with our own staffs working from home and many of our advertisers shutting their doors, at least for now.
Newspaper sites throughout the Commonwealth, including the Herald-Leader (and other McClatchy sites around the country), have removed their digital paywalls on stories about COVID-19 and its effects, making this essential information free so it can reach as many citizens in our communities as possible.
Kentucky’s newspapers are providing essential information to our towns and cities in other ways, big and small.
The Crittenden Press in Marion County, Ky., is hosting a local video news conference each Friday with community leaders, spreading it widely on social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat and YouTube.
“We, too, are in a survival mode on the business side, but there’s little time to count nickels right now because as the town crier of community, we are pledged to keep crucial, reliably consistent and verified information on the streets,” said Chris Evans, editor and publisher of The Crittenden Press.
Newsrooms from Lexington to Bardstown to Pikeville to Adair County are helping restaurants spread the word with guides listing curbside and takeout services and compiling free lists of resources for community members who may be dealing with sudden unemployment, health crises, or childcare needs. You can read both our Lexington restaurant takeout guide and our resource guide for community members at Kentucky.com. Like other McClatchy newsrooms, we’ve added a detailed coronavirus guide to our daily e-edition.
In south-central Kentucky, Jobe Publishing increased the font size of its newspapers given the increased demand among seniors who can’t leave their homes under social-distancing guidelines.
The Kentucky News Group’s sites are helping funeral homes live-stream funerals at the request of families, so services can be experienced by loved ones even amid restrictions on social gatherings.
The staff of the Herald-Leader and newsrooms throughout Kentucky are working around the clock to knock down rumors and to report, check and distribute verified information to help our communities in a time of need like none we’ve seen before. As we do this essential work for you, we ask that you consider a digital subscription to support our work. For more coverage, you can also subscribe to our daily coronavirus newsletter.
In Lexington, a key part of our reporting is being done by health reporter Alex Acquisto, who joined our staff through a partnership with Report for America, with additional funding by the Blue Grass Community Foundation. Report for America positions also rely on community support, and you can help support this critical health reporting by contacting me directly at pbaniak@herald-leader.com.
Now more than ever, Kentucky’s newspapers are here to help our communities when they need us most.
Peter Baniak is editor and general manager of the Herald-Leader and a former president of the Kentucky Press Association.
This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 11:20 AM.
