Here's What I Think About That

Lisa Bryan

Lisa Bryan, Editor, KP News

“Only on the KP.” 

As a newcomer to the Key Peninsula myself, back in 2002, that phrase piqued my interest. People seemed to use it in different ways. What did they mean? Spoken in cynical tones accompanied with eye rolls, the responses were agreement and expressions of disgust. It made me wonder what our real estate agent neglected to tell us about this place, as if there was a dark secret everyone knew but us. On the flip side, when delivered with enthusiasm, “Only on the KP” was answered with affirmative nods, smiles and fist bumps.

At face value, there are many things that exist on the Key Peninsula that still don’t add up; after attending the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association annual convention in Yakima last month, it dawned on me that the KP News is actually one of those. Think about it: A monthly newspaper is a contradiction in terms.

We stood out at the convention as the only monthly newspaper and as the only newspaper with nonprofit ownership and largely dependent upon our readers’ voluntary financial contributions. The journalists and publishers we met take their responsibility and duty with the seriousness it deserves. Our commitment to journalism is the same, and the KP News was acknowledged by the WNPA with some important awards for our work (you can read about them below). It’s not news that we live in the digital era; nor is it news that the benefits and ease of communication technology delivers some unintended consequences as well. The science of behavioral economics, specifically what compels us to make choices, is well understood. Humans are stunningly easy to manipulate when you know which buttons to press. We live in a time when spreading propaganda and blatant untruths are both easy to create and to spread. These things flourish on social media in very insidious ways that continue to tear at the fabric of our society and our democracy, which is why we believe so strongly in the need for independent local news.

Part of our mission is to promote civic engagement and we strongly encourage you to join us by voting in the Nov. 6 election. Voting matters. With Veterans Day Nov. 11 and Thanksgiving just around the corner, we hope you spend your holidays discovering the interests and passions we share.

Last month, we came to you with our annual request for financial support and your response was both swift and strong. You can’t imagine how wonderful that makes us feel, to know that you value and support the work we do in our community every bit as much as we value you.

“Only on the KP.” Thank you. We love you too.