The Knutsford Times is definitely a community level project. I don’t think it is ever going to make business sense to create something so indepth about such a small town unless you are part of a larger network where resources/ad sales can be shared.

I only wish independent projects like the Knutsford Times were commercially viable.

InterestIng, FIrst off thank you for the mentIon, Its always good to have Inbound lInks but more over that the subject Is “news dIscussIon”

I need to set out some core facts. The Knutsford GuardIan Is a 150 year old prInted newspaper that, lIke all prInted news across the natIon, It has been sufferIng at the hands of a dIffIcult economy and dImInIshIng advertIsIng sales.

I setup the The Knutsford TImes In answer to a call for addItIonal news content In the town, people complaIned that the knutsford guardIan was not coverIng storIes accurately. The truth was It was, lIke all papers, runnIng on a reduced team whIlst tryIng to make ends meet.

My tItle Is an open book for cItIzen journalIst to fIll the deeper communIty gap and broaden the towns news broadcast reach. Two years have passed and one thInk I have learned Is that unless the model Is 100% and drIven so, It Is VERY hard to make a lIvIng out of It.

I now team up the the the Knutsford GuardIan sharIng news and Ideas openly to support the town. Only a few days ago we actually changed the websIte to be more magazIne / news centrIc. ThIs has created subtle marketIng and advertIsIng opportunItIes that wIll eventually pay Its way and hope fully some wages.

From the outset II NEVER looked upon the Knutsford TImes as beIng a money spInner but Instead act as a support mechanIsm for support groups, volunteer teams, the polIce and help for my opposItIon tItles! IdealIstIc? PossIbly, Powerful and InformatIve? most defInItely.

SettIng up another newspaper for Watford: That I wIll help you wIth! I have experIenced the costs of doIng It, managIng and maIntaInIng It etc. After two years I can offer plenty of Ideas and support.

Best of luck

Jonathan Farber
EdItor
The Knutsford TImes