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| Tumbleweeds in the USA heartland? |
Maybe the change even reflects what is happening in the nearby Swift County economy. Huh? The new owner of the Morris paper has his professional roots in Benson. I am hearing horror stories about the Swift County economy. There's the theory that the new Morris paper owner seeks diversification from his home base. So we welcome him here.
Assuredly we have the welcome mat out. One must wonder, though, if the intangible of good intentions will go far in a purely business context. Yes, the intention is to create a true "hometown" product. With all due respect, a statement like this comes off as rather cliche-ish.
(My late co-worker Terry Manney thought I talked about cliches too much. My friend Del Sarlette and I have an inside joke: "Watch that first step, it's a cliche.")
We assume the Morris economy slows in summer. We assume the local economy can stay propped up largely by UMM. There does seem to be a growing divide between UMM and the broader community based on silly political considerations. We appreciate the Superior company, yes, but any foundation industry in the private sector can succumb at any time to the vicissitudes of industry. Small towns across the heartland have become shuttered because private interests could not "keep the faith." An institution like UMM is generally more stable - we ought to do all we can to support it.
Heartland U.S. people have gravitated to a vaguely defined "red state" set of values. They feel that because of this, they cannot be in league with UMM. They give a thumbs-up to Donald Trump, because. . . Well, why? Here's a profane individual whose words even on a Sunday inspire incredulity all over the media, and surely the Trump crowd cannot keep decrying so much media as "fake." I don't hear people on the street talking about fake news.
I think people on the street simply feel flummoxed by what is happening around them. Generally we have seen our community of Morris as immune from the many trends that have hollowed out the heartland. Tom Brokaw uses the term "Great Plains states." UMM is the main reason we can take some comfort. One wonders how confident we ought to feel. We assume the pace of life will pick up here in fall. It might happen again in 2019 as if on cue. We just can't be sure of the extent.
I just came home from a restaurant where a change was taped on the weekly schedule they have posted - now the Saturday closing time is earlier. On my way home I pass by Northern Impressions along a service road, and it has appeared shuttered for a long time. It gets old to see a "for sale" sign for so long. I suppose anything can be for sale.
The Morris newspaper has been sold by Forum Communications, the well-known newspaper chain of the Upper Midwest. Forum supposedly had all the tricks for keeping papers viable. When the Morris paper went from twice weekly to once, the manager told people it was a move to ensure the long-term stability of the business. But now the owner is bailing. I'm told the Forum never made money here.
New owner Reed Anfinson, in order to promote good will, is going to have to spend some. This in the digital age when so much of the info we need and want circulates with no cost to anyone. Author Tom Friedman talks about the old "friction" being gone. The legacy costs of the newspaper business are formidable in today's climate.
The Forum and politics
Forum Communications did not endorse a candidate for president in 2016. Why so hesitant? The behemoth newspaper company had a history of having all its properties endorse candidates. All properties had to endorse the same candidates, so it was deemed controversial by many. Maybe even by yours truly.
But Forum decided to just whiff on the 2016 race, telling its readers in effect "you're on your own." Well of course we can handle it. Forum was not alone in backing off the presidential race. Some of those interests are now saying that was a mistake. If they spoke favorably of a third party candidate, they realize now that this approach is always pointless. Fundamentally they had to realize that either Trump or Clinton was going to be president. Much was at stake.
Forum is historically Republican, though they cleverly approve of an occasional Democrat, one who the polls show will win anyway, so they can wave their arms and say they're not so automatic.
So, Forum did not endorse Trump. But they have seemed a little schizophrenic. The Republican in their DNA makes them seem more approving than not. The Forum's Willmar paper had a headline not long ago that would have persuaded me to never again spend a nickel on a Forum product. "Trump works to keep families together." It was a banner job on the top of page 1. It suggested that Trump is this benevolent hero toward migrants at the border. Let's not dissect that - we all know the facts.
Trump's attitude about tariffs is fueling a trade war that looks as though it will disproportionately hurt the very Midwest where small towns and the ag sector are in duress. It's amazing that our Shopko store in Morris just sits vacant on the north side of town. We have lost our summer festival, Prairie Pioneer Days, which was once such a grand affair. I know it's in the fall now. But we could have just upgraded the UMM welcome picnic. Presto, two are better than one.
When a chain newspaper decides to leave a town, it really is concerning, no matter how much the new owner comes in looking like a white knight. The old and tired newspaper business is an uphill struggle now. It's paternalistic - the wise people at the paper who will carefully weigh what information they decide to publish for us. In pre-digital times the system was needed. Today it seems almost vestigial.
The new owner will be very interesting to watch no doubt. No one can question the intentions. But will it be a passing curiosity?
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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