In the era of vanishing small-town newspapers, Vernon Robison kept the Mesa Valleys Progress alive. After two decades of managing community reporting, advertising sales and distribution, Vernon has handed over the reins to Nevada Central Media — but not before sharing an inside look at the paper’s history on the Rural Business Show. “I believe that the local newspaper is … [Read more...]
Episode 53: The Rural Philanthropy Gap
While rural communities contribute so much to our nation, they receive a disproportionately small share of philanthropic dollars. The numbers are stark: rural areas make up 20% of the US population, yet they only receive around 7% of the nation's philanthropic giving. This disparity has real consequences for these vital communities. We're not just talking about a lack of … [Read more...]
Building Stability: This Nonprofit is Transforming Affordable Housing in Moab
Moab, Utah has seen its fair share of boom times. First it was the uranium boom in the 1960s and 70s, when prospectors flooded Moab to mine the nuclear fuel, and trailer camps dotted the desert landscape. Then it was the tourism boom of the 2010s, when the Mighty Five campaign drew visitors from near and far to Utah’s five stunning, red-rock national parks. However, … [Read more...]
Episode 52: The Rural News Business
It’s been a while since we've recorded an episode of The Rural Business Show. It’s been a year of change for our business, Nevada Central Media, as we went from publishing one rural weekly newspaper to four. This episode of the Rural Business Show focuses on the business of small-town news. The challenging environment has seen thousands of rural newspapers close their doors … [Read more...]
Episode 51: Rural Housing
Housing continues to be a difficult challenge for rural communities. Often, jobs are unfilled because of a lack of adequate and affordable housing. Attracting builders is a challenge as is an increasing number of units being used as vacation properties. Community Rebuilds based in Moab, Utah addresses these challenges by building energy-efficient, affordable homes. The … [Read more...]