Life is full of disappointments
Having lived in the Oyen area for many years, I recall the Oyen Echo when it was a few foolscap pages, typed out and photocopied by Helen and Dianna Ball. When I moved away from the area, I always took the paper, it was my way of keeping up with the home news. Recently I quit taking the paper, the reason being, since the new owners took over it is now the Kindersley Echo with very little Oyen and area news and happenings. I have to say I am very disappointed.
The above comment was written on The Oyen Echo Facebook page. I felt the need to respond.
Ah, yes! The glory days of the community newspaper - the mid 70s to the early 2000s. When newspapers were the original social media. There were correspondents in every village and town, sharing the local gossip of who went where and what they did. I grew up reading the Kindersley Clarion, a paper that shut down just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic in February 2020.
My roots called me back and I started Your West Central Voice, not just for Kindersley, but its surrounding communities in July 2020. I had faith that with my newspaper background and my ties to the community, I could make it work. I rented a small office space (7’ x 10’) and I’m proud to say that I did make it work.
I was not going to buy The Oyen Echo. I knew that it would be tough running a separate publication in another province. I could see how Diana was struggling to let it go and I gave it a chance. The past two years has been an uphill struggle. Subscriptions have dropped. Printing and mailing costs have gone up. I lost some correspondents through death and also through conflicting opinions on what can and cannot be printed in a newspaper that must adhere to community standards. Fuel costs - we drive to Wainwright every Monday to pick the paper up and drive it down to Oyen to be mailed.
Even though I am typing this response on Facebook - it has probably played the biggest factor into newspaper struggles. Oyen and Area Events, Oyen Rant and Raves, Town of Oyen ... why would anyone actually want to pay for an ad in the newspaper, when they can post it on Facebook for free? Plus, the owners are from Kindersley. No need to support our eastern neighbours from out of province. I am being a little bit facetious here, but I did receive more than one email from a former subscriber that told me to stick my Saskatchewan content. I have also been stung by a couple of advertisers that would not pay their bill after ads had run. It is all a part of business and we hopefully learn from past mistakes.
I still believe in The Oyen Echo and the communities in which we serve. I have signed a year lease for one day a week in the Schindel Agencies building where we are hoping people will drop off news items, etc. Plus we are always available by phone 306-463-2211, email: kate@yoursouthwest.com, website: www.oyenecho.com or this Facebook page. Please know that I am trying my best to provide you with your local news.
Thank you to those subscribers that continue to renew and the advertisers that do support us. It is appreciated more than you know. Combining The Echo with our Kindersley paper was done to help with our printing costs. I would hate to end up like the Hanna Herald and only be available online (at the end of February) or worse ... the same fate as the Kindersley Clarion. That would make me very disappointed.
Kate Winquist
Publisher, The Oyen Echo