Community in despair as local newspaper that united them closes down in fading coal county

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Missy Nester, the former owner of The Welch News, a century-old local newspaper, struggles to cope with its closure, a news outlet that was once a major part of her life and the community of West Virginia’s southern coalfields. The scene at the newspaper office, with unpaid bills, Nester’s uncashed paychecks and silent telephones, is a stark reminder of the paper’s abrupt ending.

Nester emotionally expressed her wish that people understood the importance of the local news outlet, which had become a lifeline for her community, especially for those who are often overlooked by the mainstream media.

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“Our community here is left with nothing,” said 57-year-old Nester, lamenting the absence of an outlet for their voices. The Welch News became one of the numerous U.S. newspapers that have ceased operations since 2005, a situation Nester referred to as a “democratic nightmare,” affecting mostly rural Americans like her.

The closure of the paper leaves residents uninformed about public affairs as there’s no coverage of public meetings or local church events, which were a regular feature in the paper. The paper also played a critical role in dispelling misinformation, such as false reports of election rigging during the previous year’s May primaries.

Howard Wade, a retired World War II veteran and a professor specializing in Black history, described the newspaper as a “heartbeat” that connected the community. Wade, who is 97, worries about the loss of county history that the newspaper documented throughout his lifetime.

The demise of American newspapers is well-known. The closure disproportionately impacts older, low-income individuals, and those with less education. The closure of the Welch News left the McDowell residents shocked, and they began to understand the value of their local paper only after it was gone.

The McDowell County, spread across 535-square-miles, is a remote region where residents are isolated due to lack of consistent cell and internet service, and the absence of locally-based radio or television stations.

With the closure of the paper, Nester and her staff have been dealing with the grief and the burden of financial sacrifices she made to keep the paper running, including taking a loan in 2018. The Welch News was seen as the community’s bastion of democracy, in a place where the people often feel overlooked by the rest of the nation.

McDowell County, once the world’s largest coal producer, has witnessed a significant decline in its population and economic prosperity. Now it is the poorest county in West Virginia, with a third of its residents living in poverty. The paper provided crucial information, including updates about local happenings, to its older population, who aren’t internet savvy. With the newspaper’s closure, these residents are left uninformed about important community matters.

The lack of local news coverage has been felt deeply by the residents. Virginia Dickerson, a deputy magistrate court clerk, stated that without the paper, it’s difficult to keep track of community affairs, including the passing of loved ones.

Despite the paper’s closure, it remains in the minds of the local people, who still ask about it, according to Paulina Breeden, who works at the only gas station in a neighboring community. She noted that people trusted the news provided by The Welch News, as it served as a factual source among the rumors in town.

The loss of the newspaper has far-reaching implications, including political and socioeconomic ones. It was a platform that allowed the community to share their stories from their perspective, correcting the misrepresentation and misunderstanding that often comes from national news outlets.

The demise of the paper and the vacuum it created is filled by cable news and social media, which often circulate unverified information. The Welch News had been a reliable source that debunked misinformation, like during the last year’s May primaries when false rumors of election tampering spread on social media.

Nester, who had been supported by the older residents during her hard times, had kept the newspaper running as a means to give back to the community. However, with the closure of The Welch News, the community is left grappling with a significant loss.

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More about Newspaper closure

• The crisis of local news in America
• The decline of newspapers
• Impact of news deserts
• Rural America and the digital divide
• The state of West Virginia’s coal industry