My sweet King’s,

There’s something I want to get off my chest.

Folks these days say the younger generations don’t read the news. They say that they aren’t interested, don’t think it’s important, and prefer to get all their updates from social media. But in my experience, that’s not the case. I think young people do want to read the news. All of you reading this are proof of that.

My theory is that young people want to read the news, especially in print. But they want to read it for free. Maybe that’s the appeal of The Watch. You get a free magazine practically thrown in your faces once a month and you don’t have to pay a dime. Or so you think. Take a closer look at your student fees. The truth is, you’re not getting us for free. Every single one of you pays $12 a year for The Watch’s levy. Sure, it’s cheap; $12 for an eight-month news subscription certainly isn’t breaking the bank for any of you, but it’s the reason we are able to run our magazine.

Many of you probably don’t even notice these measly few dollars. It’s such a small amount. But if you refused to pay, there would be no Watch. Now consider that on a larger scale. When people refuse to pay for news subscriptions, news organizations crumble. One moment print newspapers get pulled. Next thing you know, business giants like Postmedia are gobbling up our local news organizations. And when news organizations crumble, democracy follows suit. It’s our job as journalists to hold power to account. Without journalism, the powerful go unchecked.

I get it, you want trustworthy journalism. So do I. It’s getting harder to discern fact from fiction. That’s why we need to create a space where good, strong journalism can thrive. You like The Watch because it’s niche and community oriented. The news giants don’t cater to you. They can only scratch the surface of the stories unfolding around us. When companies like Postmedia dominate the industry, news starts getting thin. Unfortunately, they’re the only ones with the funds to support journalism. If you want to have local news that you can trust, you’re going to have to pay for it.

You are not owed news for free. But there is no democracy without journalism. Fascist ideology is on the rise, and it is fueled by a lack of verifiable, accurate information. Want to put a stop to it? Help fund the news to maintain a functioning democracy.

As you read through our November edition, think about all the hard work that went into it. And think about how your measly $12 made it all possible.

Your editor-in-chief,

Maria Collins