Hope is in the Air for Street Papers

by Israel Bayer

category: Street Papers

Published July 26, 2009 @ 06:06PM PT

Later this week, representatives from 22 street newspapers from the U.S. and Canada will be gathering in Denver, Colorado for the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) conference.  The conference is being held at the University of Denver and hosted by the Denver Voice.  

Born in 2007, the Denver Voice is a 20-page hard-hitting and clean monthly publication being led by veteran journalists and vendors. 

The latest issue highlights an in-depth look at a three-year battle between Denver cab companies resulting in the first new cab company in the city in 15 years. In my humble opinion, the paper's reporting has been both hungry and smart. Denverites looking for real local news have to be happy with the papers presence. 

Not to mention the fact that with the vendor program, Denver is experiencing a new look at homelessness. Relationships are being built and new conversations are taking place between the general public and homeless folks. The public must now look at homelessness with a more personal relationship attached to it. Most importantly, folks on the skids have the opportunity to gain an alternative income that will improve individuals and families quality of life. Change is in the air on the homeless front in the Mile High City.

The conference itself will bring together newspaper people, vendors who sell the newspapers, authors, historians, social service workers, and community organizers that work with street papers. They are made of both rookie and veteran editors, green and seasoned journalists, do-gooders, people experiencing homelessness, business folks, fundraisers, and people who believe in the idea of connecting media and the larger community with the streets. 

All of the papers, large or small, are navigating through an unforgiving recession that has dumped thousands upon thousands of new faces on the streets. Not to mention that layoffs and budget shortfalls mean foundations, businesses and individuals are giving less. 

All of this comes at a time when media itself is being reinvented. Daily papers are shrinking and weekly papers are nervous. Who delivers the news is changing.  Street papers are filling a niche by covering issues on the fringes concerning poverty, immigration and homelessness itself. 

Does that mean as a newspaper model that street newspapers are any better position financially? Unfortunately, no. 

Street newspapers are looking at ways to survive just like the rest of the print media world. The only difference is that many street newspapers, unlike much of the print media elite, have been in survival mode for most of their existence. Having a shotgun newsroom and a humble community space for vendors along with dedicated group of volunteers and money to print is all a street newspaper needs to survive.

For many street newspapers hope in the air. While some of the papers attending haven't gotten through their first 12 months, other papers find themselves evolving, on the verge of going from the small train that could to a sustainable non-profit creating systematic change in the community. We are family, and this weeks conference is our reunion. We will do our best to help one another along.