Ever since the birth of the World Wide Web, the newspaper business has been in a state of flux.

At first glance, the changes to our industry seemed small, but as time has moved on, it seems the rumors that our industry was on its way out have piled up. The newspaper business is now facing an avalanche of issues, and the Observer understands that hiding from the facts is dubious.

In light of the changes we all face in our industry, we have taken a proactive stance on how we can best serve you, the reader.

Based on responses on our Facebook page, we understand many people get the bulk of their news from the internet via cell phone or computer. We also understand there is a generational divide when it comes to the importance of a hard-copy newspaper.

The Observer does not want to exclude any of you, no matter what your weekly news needs are. So in regard to our position on this matter, we promise to supply both.

Over the past few years, we have expanded our digital footprint immensely. We have moved forward from the usual social media outlets of Facebook and Twitter and have created a presence on Instagram and LinkedIn.

We’re planning to look into an account on NextDoor soon. Of course, we still have our website, which features many stories as individual posts as well as an e-edition showing every page and article.

The Observer also understands the importance of having our readers join in the conversation and thus we have been producing weekly Facebook poll questions for everyone interested to engage with.

The thing that sets us apart from other newspapers is you, the residents of our community. It’s not that the Observer thinks of itself as unique; we are only as unique as you allow us to be by letting us share your stories and events.

It is true, though, that no other news outlet covers the City of Vision and surrounding towns and villages like we do. We have no journalistic stake with national issues or news that affect our neighbors down the hill; however, as much as we may follow them in our personal lives.

We call that loyalty and only ask for the same sentiment in return for our efforts to keep all of you informed.

The Observer also understands that new media sources are always popping up, and we will try our best to stay on the cutting edge of placing our stories there because you deserve it. Just like researching for a news story, we try to find the scoop when it comes to platforms that will serve our community better news-wise. Whatever your thoughts on the best place to get your news, we strive to be the most reliable source for it locally.

So whether you still love getting the paper delivered to your doorstep, or enjoy reading our latest stories on your social media newsfeed, we are here for you and promise to keep moving with the times.