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Merry Christmas to Native Sun News Today




      Clara Caufield

It is that season of year again – Christmas and the New Year, basically the end of 2020.  And what a year it has been due to the COVID which has had so many devastating effects on Indian country.

This column focuses on Native Sun News Today (NSNT) in my opinion the stellar Indian newspaper in the country.  Of course, I’m biased, privileged to be part of the crew, though only a correspondent/columnist from afar for many years.  I’m not sure when NSNT was started but know that it is the latest in a line of newspaper that Tim Giago has founded and personally operated from at least four decades.  His style is “hands-on” –he is the heart and soul of the publication on an incredibly long run which I hope continues for many more years.  Indeed, NSNT is synonymous with Tim Giago.

The COVID pandemic has been really tough on many small businesses across the country, bringing many to their knees.  Some are now closed forever, doubtful they can start up again.

Yet, NSNT has preserved, in spite of nearly overwhelming odds and challenges.

Not a lot of people appreciate what it takes to consistently produce a small newspaper week after week and year after year. I do because I founded and almost single-handedly produced the former “Cheyenne Voice” on the Northern Cheyenne reservation, lasting close to six years before throwing in the towel.  Even though the Cheyenne and Crow loved that little paper, I finally just got tired of the weekly grind (could not afford to hire anyone) and living on the brink of financial disaster.  But I was not the only one – consider the newspaper giants who have closed shop in the last decade or resorted to an on-line presence while others have significantly reduced content and size and increased prices.  NSNT on the other hand has been the same price for years and Tim will not raise it.  While NSNT also has a website, the heart of the operation is the hard copy, cherished by so many readers, including myself.  It has more permanence, sure to be a primary resource for many researchers and historians.  Ever try to find an old email from 10 years ago?  Good luck.  In my view, the on-line publications have a place in today’s society, but are ever so fleeting.

Journalism on the whole is not a highly paid profession.  With his credentials, education and experience Tim could have easily landed a big-paying government job, worked for an Indian organization or pursued tribal politics.  Instead, he has stuck with his life passion – the search for truth as he sees it, investigative journalism and providing a voice and unique point of view of our Plains Indian people.  I don’t think this has made him a rich man materially, but there are more important things in life than that such as clout which he can surely swing.

Newspapers do not survive by selling hard copies – lucky (in my experience) to have that pay for the cost of publication and distribution.  Given the far-flung multi-state territory of NSNT, they have done a heroic job in distributing the papers, sometimes not possible during the pandemic because entire reservations and the outlet business have frequently been closed. Not to mention the harsh weather conditions on the Plains. On-line guys don’t have to worry about that.

Advertising revenue is the key to maintaining a newspaper.  In my case, there were simply not enough of them and unlike tribal governments, private newspapers – even though Indian owned – don’t get government operating grants.  Although on reservations, the Tribes and many tribal programs will advertise, it is not a great idea to consistently bite that hand.  Often there is a ‘stand-offish’ relationship between politicians, especially tribal and newspapers, probably because we tell it as we see it.  For example, look what happened to NSNT when Tim wrote an unflattering column about the Rapid City major. The major inconvenience of changing printers didn’t stop him.  I actually like the new format better.

One of the things I have always appreciated is that Tim doesn’t charge for printing obituaries – each issue has at least a whole page and Indian obits are long, acknowledging family and connections.  In Montana, for example, most Indians don’t have obits printed in the major newspapers anymore because they can’t afford $700-$1,000, the going rate.   NSNT does this as a public service, Indian way honoring our loved ones and, in the process, providing a gift to the families.

And, in the case of NSNT a great core staff is equally important.  Tim has the ability to recruit and retain staff, gaining their loyalty in the process, treating us more like a family.  Seldom does he interfere with our journalistic scribblings and he always makes sure we are paid on a timely basis, at a fair rate of compensation.  I’m sure there have been times when he and his faithful wife and co-worker, Jackie have had to wait for a paycheck. He has a great crew and in nearly every issue, acknowledges the contributions of various staff, even the receptionists who are so critical to the success of any organization serving the public.  That wouldn’t be the case in a larger operation, where support staff are anonymous numbers.

I’m just about done with my Christmas wish list to Santa Claus, having been very good this year in part because of being a COVID hermit.  My first wish is that the old man in red will be very good to NSNT in 2021.

 

(Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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