Positive Changes Tasking Place

Effectively immediately, the Portageville Misssourian-News will no longer be charging for weddings and engagement announcements. "We are wanting to make a better job of being the public servant that we claim to be," said Scott Seal, general manager. "It should be the role of any newspaper to effectively relate to the community what is going on. Do we hit a home run all the time, possible not, but we are implement ways to improving that."

"Since the first of the year, we finally launched a new website, www.pvmonews.com. I have been wanting to do this for a good numbers of years. I have been asking, encouraging my publisher(s) to please allow for this opportunity. At the first of the year, this newspaper was the only one in southeast Missouri that did not have a website that I am aware of."

Believe it or not, having a website really enhances your print product. Like most things, it doesn't happen over night, but through a long period of time. Surveys have been done through many print advertising agencies that websites do enhance your newspaper's revenue.

"We will be able to download stories, picture galleries, links to other websites, put important news alerts out. If there is a prominent person on town that died or a fire breaks out, or a traffic accident on the interstate, we can place it on the website at that moment, instead of waiting to the next week's newspaper. Yes, it will also be in the next week, as well," said Seal.

"As we continue to grow, there will be more features added to the website. For us to be able to do that, we need your help in checking out the website. If there is something that you think we should do, please talk with us. The only way we can improve, is from you feed back," he added.

Additionally, the newspaper has also added a Facebook page. "We are still adding and tweaking this on an ongoing basis," he added.

On a final note, a few years ago, the Portageville Missourian-News began charging for obituaries at a rate of $50. Last year, with approval from a company vice president, that charge has been reduced to $35.00. "This rate is much more in tune to what other weeklies throughout the state are charging," said Seal.

"We want to do our community proud, and to be the community's newspaper. with social media available and digital cameras or cell phones capable of taking pictures, you have an opportunity to submit pictures of events as well,"added Seal.

"I had posted on Facebook that if anyone would like to submit a picture of the flooding that occurred earlier this year, that would be greatly appreciated. Not one person submitted anything, I heard the complaints, " he said .

Most folks have a smart phone with a camera on it. The technology on those phones are getting better all the time. Don't be afraid of it and start clicking. Many folks using their cell phone cameras to take selfies, family portraits, weddings and birthday parties, and post them on Facebook or email them to friends. Remember the website address is: www.pvmonews.com,"