#FREEDOMOFTHEPRESS & #SHOPLOCAL

Indian Time newspaper celebrates 35 years of publishing this summer. Throughout these years, Indian Time has reported on Akwesasne’s conflicts and personal tragedies and celebrated everyone’s personal accomplishments as well as Akwesasne’s communal strength. The paper has over 30,000 accessible articles on its website.

During this, Indian Time has presented itself as a mainstay of free press. The definition of ‘freedom of the press’ is the right of newspapers, magazines, etc., to report the news without being controlled by the government.

Indian Time is a free-standing newspaper: documenting, recording, observing and writing news responsibly while adhering to fair principles established long ago. The ownership of Indian Time rests solely in Indian Time itself. Indian Time is not owned by the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, nor is it owned by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe.

Without Indian Time newspaper, community members and the Akwesasronon scattered across the United States and Canada, and those incarcerated would probably receive news from only two sources: the government of the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the government of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe.

If a community, a town, a nation, a country has a free press, its newspapers, magazines, and television and radio stations are able to express any opinions they want, even if these criticize the local governments and other organizations; otherwise, how can there be a democratic process, let alone one rooted in our own traditions?

Indian Time is a local newspaper run by local community members. People you know, talk to, see in the community and are related somehow. And a newspaper - any newspaper runs on advertisements. Ads are sold to encourage community members and people from the surrounding area to patronize their shop, store, garage, salon, gas station, restaurant, convenience store, gift shop and more.

The term “Shop Local” had become synonymous within the MCA and the SRMT economic development departments, but it seems to escape local business owners when it comes time to promote their business in the local newspaper. Something as small as choosing to share an Indian Time article over a Cornwall newspaper is ‘shopping local’. We cover many of the same events and subjects, and choosing your community paper only makes it stronger. Another example is this: a local business planned what should have been a successful cultural event. The business placed an ad on their Facebook page. Indian Time saw the ad and thought it would make a great article for the paper. When IT contacted the business, the owner had cancelled the event because no one had purchased a ticket. Not one. Many businesses come under the impression that advertising on Facebook covers all of Akwesasne when in fact:

81% of community newspaper readers read public notices and ads.

79% of community newspaper readers read grocery ads and inserts.

85% of community newspaper readers find their paper easy to use.

Community newspapers readers share their papers with 2.48 other people.

70% of community newspaper mindfully digest all or most of their paper.

The local newspaper is the number one source for community news, beating TV by nearly three times and the internet (Facebook) by five times the audience.

Community newspapers connect with their readers – 87% believe that their local paper had stories for their particular interests. (Trunk or Treat, the Winter Carnival, the Memorial Day Parade, the Great River Clean-up, St. Regis Dance Club, etc.)

76% of community newspaper readers agreed that they and their families relied on their papers for local news and information. (winter carnival schedules, honor roll lists, elementary and middle school achievements, local high school sports, national lacrosse news, etc.)

Community members spend nearly 22 minutes a day with their local newspaper.

Without ads, newspapers can’t survive, and without newspapers, the only news you’ll receive locally is from the MCA and SRMT government...and rumors.

Supporting Indian Time is supporting your community.

Kaniehtonkie