Papering over the economic cracks

A quick word, if you can spare a minute, before you begin another week of making ends meet in these credit crunching times.

I would like to draw your attention to the rallying call of a campaign that has been splashed liberally across the pages of our excellent local paper - the Mansfield Chad - in recent weeks. I’m not just highlighting the ‘Keep It Local’ clarion call because SHOUT!PR just so happened to be featured in last week’s installment - although if you missed it first time around, check out http://twitpic.com/6iulj - I would like to get it on your radar, especially if you are Mansfield-based, because I firmly believe its a great initiative.

At a time when local newspapers are being battered by the downturn as hard as anyone, and when they have finished being clobbered on that front they will doubtless get another good slapping from the mixed blessing that is online news content - The Chad is still doing its bit to promote the area and its businesses.

The Chad’s ‘Keep it Local’ Campaign - which is designed to highlight the range of business experience and expertise resident in the area and encourage more inter-trading - is a classic example of the role local newspapers should be playing above and beyond delivering the usual news, announcements and advertising.

Mansfield has had a tough time economically in recent years, with the decline of its traditional industries, and so, maybe its time at the school of hard knocks, will mean it is better equipped than many other areas to weather the current icy blast. Let’s hope the Chad’s campaign does at least a little bit to aid the recovery process, and at the same time sells a few more copies into the bargain.

Jez