For 148 years, the Sentinel-Tribune has been telling readers about our community and connecting
businesses with customers.
And we’re not about to stop.
However, like newspapers across the nation, we have to make some changes in how we do business.
As other newspapers were cutting staff and decreasing print days over the last several years, the
Sentinel-Tribune tried to maintain its print edition while expanding to its website. On the outside, we
fared better than most since we are owned by a family, rather than a group of papers. For the past four
generations, the Haswell family of Bowling Green has made an emotional and financial commitment to the
newspaper.
While being a family-owned paper is a rarity envied by many employed at group-owned newspapers, it also
meant that when times got tough, we faced greater challenges since we had no way to pool resources.
We have reached a point where cuts are no longer avoidable.
Last week, four long-time employees accepted early retirement packages. This week, five full-time and
nine part-time employees of the pressroom and mailroom were informed their positions will be eliminated.

Starting May 19, our paper will be printed by the Findlay Courier, another family-owned newspaper. We
will join several other individually-owned newspapers already being printed at that site. We are far
from alone in having to shut down our presses. Newspapers such as the Marion Star and others will be
outsourcing to the Columbus Dispatch by the end of May. The Columbus Dispatch has printed the Cincinnati
Enquirer since 2013.
Readers of the Sentinel-Tribune have probably already noticed other cost-saving measures, such as fewer
pages being printed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
These decisions did not come easily. However, in order to continue serving our readers for years to come,
six days a week, we have to take these steps.
But the news isn’t all bad. We remain committed to bringing you news from throughout Wood County – with
plans to continue a strong print publication and expanded online presence.
Newspapers face growing competition. Businesses have a wealth of avenues to pick from when spending their
advertising budgets. And readers have unlimited choices when it comes to finding "news."
According to socialtimes.com, in 1993 there were only 130 websites and in 2012 there were 634 million.

But we are up to the challenge.
We have more readers than ever before following us. We have a steady group of 62,000 visitors online
along with an average of 670,000 page views, in addition to our print subscribers.
And though our staff numbers are reduced, we are ready and still able to cover your communities better
than any of our competition.
The need and desire for a community newspaper is as strong as it ever was. What newspapers do and what
they stand for will not change.
Reporters are the people in our towns who take the time to sit through long council meetings, sift
through court reports and interview politicians. They make sure you know what is going on in our
community so you can make educated decisions about issues that affect you.
Reporters tell you about people in our community who achieve success and those who are in need of your
help.
And we give businesses a way to reach more potential customers than any other source in Wood County.
That is what we have done for 148 years, and what we plan to continue doing for years to come.