Letter to the editor

We expressed our hope to make Eastword the very best source for local information in Eastern Oklahoma County. One year after our launch, our readers enthusiastically tell us we’re fulfilling our promise to the community.

Within Eastword’s first year, we’re reaching a readership of approximately 20,000, an estimate based on publishing standards. As a reader who picks up and reads the newspaper each week, you are the key to our success. Your support for our advertisers makes Eastword possible.

Our professional editorial staff works hard to cover Eastern Oklahoma County, providing its citizens with news and information about city governments, schools, public safety, economic development, local businesses, community personalities and the list goes on.

We must honestly say that Eastword’s first year has not been without its challenges. As a freecirculation newspaper, we’re dependent on advertising for the resources to gather the news and print and distribute Eastword.

Current economic conditions have been a challenge for all businesses in Eastern Oklahoma County, and we’re no exception. We’re hopeful that as the economy continues to recover, businesses and institutions within our market area will be able to provide additional advertising support for Eastword.

Advertising dollars enable us to have more space each week to write about the great things happening in our market area. The more advertising in Eastword, the more news and information we can provide. With readers more informed and involved, communities are strengthened.

As an Eastword reader, you can help by telling our advertisers that you appreciate their support and asking your business friends to support our community newspaper with advertising. If you’re a business person who isn’t advertising in Eastword, please give us a call so we can show you how Eastword advertising will not only help build your business, but also a better community.

The Eastword staff is proud of its accomplishments and enthusiastically looks forward to the year ahead. We appreciate recognition as New Business of the Year by the Del City Chamber of Commerce and we’ll continue to work hard to earn your trust and support.

Within a short time, we’ll unveil our improved website, eastword.net, to provide readers with more extensive community coverage between weekly print editions of Eastword. The expanded website will also offer additional advertising opportunities for businesses and events.

We’re grateful to you, the wonderful people in Eastern Oklahoma County, for welcoming us as the community newspaper and providing us with the opportunity to serve you during our first year and the years to come.

Bill Bleakley, Eastword publisher