Print newspapers still alive and well in Ellis County

ELLIS COUNTY – While print newspapers struggle and some cities work hard to stay out of mainstream media news, the fact is newspapers demanding transparency have never been more important in the United States.

It is true, readers do get their news online these days. However, there is nothing like holding the newspaper in your hands. 

And, did you know in order for citizens to really stay informed they should also be aware of their city’s paper of record.  

This is how citizens stay informed whether it is to stay abreast of public hearings that are key to major zoning changes, key to voting on tax increases, or even key to being educated on the issues that impact local elections and government.

Cities are required to vote on a regular basis for a paper of record. The paper of record chosen has mandatory requirements.

For cities not interested in transparency the public notices in the city’s paper of record are often buried in newspaper the residents do not even know the name of and certainly do not read.

Never has this been more apparent than when Focus Daily News who was “the” news in the Best Southwest closed its doors at the end of 2024.

It left seven cities scrambling for a newspaper of record and it brought newspapers into the area that knew nothing of the Best Southwest, or the residents living there. 

Ask yourself, do you know your city’s paper of record?

Do you like that newspaper and is it readable? 

Ellis County is fortunate in there are five newspapers that cover the area. 

Three of the five papers are locally owned. 

If your city has gone with one of the two that are not locally owned then the city and the residents are not supporting local business.

There is also the matter of printing and news articles, how readable is your favorite local paper in that regard?

As for readability and quality, at The Ellis County Press we have gone through several printers during our 33-year history. 

Recently we acquired a new printer, which changed our look and resulted in a higher circulation. That is good news for readers because that means increased transparency with the increased circulation allowing for the necessary checks and balances to ensure elected officials and city/county staff are working for the citizens.

“This recent change in printers increased the quality of our print edition by 100%,” said Ellis County Publisher/Editor Charles Hatfield.

The Ellis County Press now has weekly 3,254 digital and print subscribers calculated by 2.5 readers by a formula by the National Newspaper Association per copy equals 13,016 weekly readers. 

That is a total of 52,064 monthly readers of print and digital overall.

The Ellis County Press began printing with Greater Dallas Press in Garland, and used that company for 15 years until GDP closed its doors last September. The quest then began to find a replacement. 

Hatfield said, “The closest printer we found was in Mexia, a 58-mile journey one way.”

He said it was at that time he discovered there are no longer any web printers in Ellis or Navarro Counties.

Three weeks ago, The Mexia News shut their press down too, and again the paper needed a printer to survive.

Fortunately a sister paper, The San Marcos Daily Record, took up the slack – producing a greater quality print.

Hatfield explained now the paper is sent via the internet digitally to San Marcus. Once printed, it is brought to Mexia where The Ellis County Press driver picks it up on Tuesday evening and the Ferris newspaper office mails it to readers on Wednesday.

“Our readership is a nod to our journalism and to the quality that improves as we strive to offer print and online subscriptions allowing the reader to stay informed. Ellis County is currently experiencing an landscape,” Hatfield concluded “and we value every reader and city who is part of The Ellis County Press family”  

The Ellis County Press is available in print for $42 per year or a digital copy emailed for $12 per year.