BY: NEWSPAPER STAFF
The Village Reporter will increase its single-copy price from $2.00 to $3.00, effective the February 4, 2026 edition (this week). This marks the first price change since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and comes in response to the rising costs associated with producing a high-quality community newspaper.
Like many local newspapers across the nation, The Village Reporter has faced significant increases in the cost of essential supplies. Press plates and newsprint—both subject to tariffs and unavailable from domestic manufacturers—have become more expensive. The U.S. Postal Service has raised mailing rates six times in recent years, and staff wages have also increased as part of our commitment to providing a livable income for our team. Despite these challenges, the newspaper continues to offer more pages and deeper local coverage than most competitors. The publication is often selling large editions at a loss according to owners.
Forrest R. Church, Publisher, explained, “Diligent oversight of expenses has always been a priority, with the goal of breaking even on subscription revenue and relying on advertising to generate profits for our community newspaper. Reviewing the fourth quarter of 2025 revealed that only one edition managed to cover its costs through subscriptions alone. In most cases, the paper lost a few cents on every copy sold.”
“After years of resisting a price increase, the difficult reality became clear: the choice was to either reduce news coverage and page count by 25 percent or to adjust pricing to ensure the long-term sustainability of the family-owned business. The decision was made to increase the price, preserving the quality of coverage that readers expect.”
Reflecting on the newspaper industry in the three-state area, Church noted that he has witnessed the closure of countless local newspapers since the 1990s. Among those lost are the Hamilton News, Montpelier Leader, Edon Commercial, Advance Reporter, Wauseon Reporter, Fayette Review, Hicksville Tribune, Antwerp Bee Argus, Fulton County Expositor, Swanton Enterprise, Delta Atlas, State Line Observer (Morenci), Archbold Buckeye, and likely others that have faded from memory. Several of these papers owned by the Church Family—including the Edon Commercial, Advance Reporter, and Wauseon Reporter—ultimately merged to form The Village Reporter which covers all of Williams and Fulton Counties in Northwest Ohio.
While making this pricing decision was undoubtedly difficult, Church emphasized its necessity for the continued financial health of the publication. He believes that, for $3 per week—or less with a subscription—readers receive a print edition delivered to their homes, access to the digital e-edition, and daily local news stories available online. “This makes The Village Reporter the best value in local news,” stated Church.
A newly added digital-only subscription option allows readers who do not wish to receive a print copy to save money, with little or no price increase for online access compared to previous digital rates.
The print edition continues to offer exceptional value, averaging 48 or more full-color pages per issue, all featuring 100 percent local news. At $3 per copy, that’s just six cents per page, compared to 12-page traditional daily and weekly newspapers at $2 elsewhere, which breaks down to nearly three times the per page cost at seventeen cents per page (6 cents vs 17 cents).
Church added, “For the price of a soda, coffee, or candy bar, readers receive 300 to 500 staff hours of local effort each week, produced by a family-owned team dedicated to Williams and Fulton Counties.”
Inspired by other community newspapers, The Village Reporter is now offering a “newsroom tip jar” for readers and organizations who wish to support its mission directly. Voluntary contributions will help sustain high-quality local journalism.
Church added, “While this price adjustment was a last resort, it is essential to maintain the standard of reporting that the community has come to expect. The Village Reporter remains grateful for the ongoing support of its readers and is committed to transparency and service.”
For questions or feedback, readers are encouraged to contact the paper at publisher@thevillagereporter.com.