Locally owned publication cites doubled operational costs over nine years
The Community News Brief will increase subscription rates effective April 1, 2026, marking the first significant adjustment in several years.
Print subscriptions will rise to $75 per year, which includes online access. Senior subscribers living in-county will pay $65 annually, while seniors outside the county and those requesting delivery to winter homes will pay $75. Out-ofcounty subscribers will pay $85. E-Edition subscriptions will remain at current rates. Single copies, sold at various outlets throughout the area, will increase to $1.50 per copy.
'Over nine years, our operational costs have more than doubled,' said Lynne Campbell, publisher and owner. 'We've held rates low because we believe everyone should be able to afford local news; however, we cannot sustain the publication without adjusting prices. Despite the increase, The Community News Brief remains the most affordable local source of print news in the area.”
The Community News Brief, through its printing vendor, also supports other family-owned businesses, such as KK Stevens Publishing in Astoria, which is going into its third-generation.
“As a small locally, family-owned business they too are experiencing price increases in paper, ink and other needs that they must pass on, which we understand,” Campbell added. “We greatly appreciate working with partners in the region to keep our costs as centralized as possible and contribute to our area’s economic development.”
The Community News Brief launched in March 2016 as a free publication supported by local business advertising. For four years, those local advertisers made it possible to deliver community news without charge — even during the COVID-19 shutdown, when the publication continued posting vital information to residents.
In 2021, responding to reader requests for a print newspaper, the Community News Brief introduced a paid subscription model. Today, the newspaper is published twice weekly in print and online, with a growing website and social media presence. The publication expanded its reporting staff and coverage over the past five years, increasing the number of stories and newspapers printed monthly. Campbell credits both loyal subscribers and local advertisers for making that growth possible.
'We're not trying to get rich,' Campbell said. 'We're a locally owned business trying to cover our expenses and make a modest living while providing the news our community deserves. None of this happens without the support of our subscribers and the local businesses that advertise with us.'
Subscribers can renew at current rates through March 31. For more information on subscription options or to subscribe, visit communitynewsmarket.com, call 309-421-0761 or stop by the office at 13 E. Side Square on Macomb’s Historic Downtown.
The Community News Brief is independently owned and operated by the Campbell family.
