Times have changed drastically in the media business, but the community newspaper still serves a valuable role.
Andrea Rosato-Taylor, who took over as the publisher of the Chemainus Valley Courier in early April, knows that as much as anyone from her experience in the industry.
She’s pleased to have joined the Courier team, along with Kathy Holmes in sales who’s well-known throughout Ladysmith and Chemainus in particular for her previous 10 years with Black Press at the Ladysmith Chronicle, and editor Don Bodger. Warren Goulding continues as publisher of the Cowichan Valley Citizen and Lake Cowichan Gazette.
Rosato-Taylor has been working for 25 years in various roles in newspapers from San Francisco and Vancouver to the smaller end of the spectrum on Vancouver Island.
She formally introduced herself to Chemainus community leaders last week to share thoughts on how the newspaper and businesses can benefit one another.
It all starts with the common bond of caring about the community, something Rosato-Taylor feels very strongly about. Her go-to book is Simon Sinek’s Start With Why. Sinek started a movement in 2009 to help people become more inspired at work, and inspire colleagues and customers.
Rosato-Taylor’s Why “is you get the community you want by participating in it.”
She is passionate about newspapers because newspapers throughout history have been telling the story of the individuals inside the community.
It is all about the story and no one does that better than community newspapers whether in print, desktop or your mobile phone.
“A good story is so much more than a sound bite,” Rosato-Taylor adds. “It lives with us, makes us think, creates emotion and a bond with the individuals in the story.
“People will buy from you if it is more than price - we can buy stuff anywhere but we buy when we connect with the experience behind what we buy. It is so much more than how we do it, but what is our passion for Why we get up everyday to do what we do.
“Start each day with the emotion and passion of what you do and success will follow.”