The new shape of The Record-Courier

The Record-Courier you hold in your hands is different from the one we put out a few days ago.

Hopefully, you were aware that today there was going to be a new feel to your community newspaper and that we have been working hard to make sure that our new design featured the same community feel as last week's newspaper.

As I read my Friday paper, a strange feeling of history came over me. This was The Record-Courier's last stand-alone broadsheet paper. Should I save a copy?

I wonder how many of you saved your last copy? Through this process of change, I have talked to hundreds of local business people and readers about the plans for change.

I was very pleased at the support and encouragement I received from this community. The partnerships The Record-Courier has within this community are a source of strength and a long and promising future.

Along the way I have had many people ask if this was the beginning of the end to our community paper. My answer has been as confident as it has ever been in my 15 years in this industry. In short, no. This is not the beginning of the end; it is the beginning of a new stronger company which is determined to bring this community an even better product.

A newspaper, who at its heart, is here to cover local news, business, sports and community events better than anyone else could think of doing.

Our new design will eventually allow us to feature more local business news, more local sports, more photos of the people in our community.

I hope today you are able to sit back and enjoy our new paper. As always, I want to hear from you if you think we have missed the mark. In 2009, customer feedback is very important to The Record-Courier, so much so that I set up a reader's survey and comment area online for you to use any time you feel like it, www.recordcourier.com/readersurvey.

April 1, 2009, is a special day for The Record-Courier and our community. I am resolute in my desire to bring each of you the best community newspaper and best community Web site.

The staff at The Record-Courier is devoted to Douglas County news today and in the future. We hope you enjoy the new size and will continue to be great fans of The Record-Courier.

Charlie Pankey is publisher of The Record-Courier.