A new way to alert readers

Running a weekly newspaper operation can be both a blessing and a curse all at the same time.
It’s nice to have an entire week to gather news stories and put together the newspaper. But it also can be downright troublesome as well, especially when it comes to breaking news. When something big happens in the community, we often feel handicapped in that it may be as many as seven days before we can get the story out. By then, many would consider it old news. 
Even as we continue producing a weekly newspaper, the advent of the Internet has changed the immediacy of getting stories out sooner. People often want things now rather than later. We have a newly revamped website at www.steeledodgenews.com in which we post stories soon after they happen. But it still can be a challenge at times to get people used to looking at our website. 
This week we’re beginning something that will make our news gathering efforts even more immediate than ever before. We have launched a new service called Constant Contact. It is a free email news service where you can get the top news for Kasson and Mantorville and the rest of Dodge County delivered right to your inbox—sort of. 
Constant Contact will allow us to send out email blasts alerting readers to breaking news stories and others that we think may be time sensitive. Readers will receive an alert through their email from the Dodge County Independent letting them know about a particular story. It’s kind of like a headline service. People will then be encouraged to click on our website to get additional details and a more in-depth story. 
We actually introduced the service at our sister publication, the Steele County Times, in Blooming Prairie a few years ago. It has been highly successful at generating interest in developing stories and moving readers to our website to get the latest news when the printed paper may be days away yet. It’s always important to let people know what’s happening in their community. People have a thirst for local news. They like to keep tabs on what is going on around them even if it does not directly involve them.