Why LebTown aims to ‘champion local’ through our reporting & business model

While LebTown doesn’t want to be a homer in our reporting, our mission is inherently positive and progressive – “Local News for a Better Lebanon County.”

This editorial follows up my previous ones about LebTown’s core value, optimize for trust, and our related values, seek truth and report it, make the extra call, and seek common ground. These editorials come as part of LebTown’s Countywide Campaign, an ambitious effort to swell our membership ranks as we celebrate our fifth birthday this month.

Read More: Introducing the Countywide Campaign

LebTown should not just be a champion of Lebanon County, but its brand should also represent all of those who feel the same – it should feel like a community that celebrates its successes, commiserates its failures, and shares a sense of pride and identity.

This posture can manifest itself through writing when you show appreciation of local history, excitement about a local startup, or gratitude for someone who’s given back to the community, just to name a few.

The imperative to “champion local” doesn’t just apply to our reporting; it applies to our business model, too. We care deeply about our local business community and providing best-in-class digital advertising products at an affordable cost.

Our banner ads are intentionally different from what you see elsewhere online. We will not dilute our brand with the type of low-quality advertising you see on other outlets.

We encourage you to support the businesses that support us – there are countless ways to spend advertising dollars, but few that make as big an impact as advertising on LebTown. LebTown advertising is measurably effective and it’s the most efficient way to boost business while also giving back to the local community. There’s no hedge fund manager profiting off our work; your support goes directly towards local journalism. Delivering value to our advertisers helps us bring you more community-sustaining news and information.

If you’ve learned something in this editorial, or it otherwise struck a chord with you, please consider joining LebTown as a member and being a part of our further conversations, both online and off, in the coming months.

Members are the heart and soul of LebTown, and in addition to the deep satisfaction of being champions for local news, they get special benefits like the ability to comment on articles, purchase exclusive merchandise, and receive members-only email newsletters.

If you’re not a member, the easiest, quickest, and most impactful thing you can do today is signup for a monthly or annual membership.

For a quick and simple one-time contribution, head here. (Please note that one-time contributions are not eligible for member benefits.)

You can also sign up as a member by mailing us a check to the following address.

LebTown
922 Cumberland St.
Lebanon, PA 17042

If signing up by mailing us a check, please make sure to enclose your email address so we can setup your account. Please note that checks can take up to a month to be processed.

Next week, I will conclude this editorial series by talking about the last of LebTown’s values: Take ownership. With feedback, suggestions, or ideas, you can reach me using the contact form at the bottom of this article or by shooting an email to editor@lebtown.com.

Introducing the Countywide Campaign

Optimize for trust: This simple value guides everything I do with LebTown

Seek truth and report it: How LebTown safeguards its journalistic mission

Make the extra call: How the shoe leather we put into reporting our stories pays off

How LebTown journalists seek common ground to bring our community together