The secret of successful local newspapers-perhaps

A story of how to run a successful local newspaper comes from David Carr at the New York Times who believes in the model of the Austin Chronicle which he says is

as funky and idiosyncratic as the town it covers, continues to thrive with a relentlessly local news agenda — state government, the school board and the City Council, along with deep coverage of the arts — and a willingness to lead, as opposed to simply criticize, in artistic matters.

The paper's secret apart from the fact that it is free is that it knits

into civic and cultural life in Austin to a degree that may make other newspapers nervous

and its editor adds

“We don’t do gotcha journalism, our coverage is very policy-oriented, and always local, local, local,”