Today, GOOD Morning Wilton celebrates 11 years of covering daily news in Wilton.

Well, the real anniversary day was actually yesterday, Aug. 19, 2024, but our priorities were focused instead on covering the unprecedented impact of the 1,000-year flood on Wilton.

Yesterday was a case in point of why it’s critical to have a news outlet dedicated to covering Wilton and only Wilton. When we started 11 years ago, there were two weekly newspapers and at least three other digital news websites devoted to just covering Wilton.

Today, GOOD Morning Wilton is the only media left standing.

On Sunday, we broadcast multiple video reports live from the flooding on our Facebook live videos, communicating what we heard from Wilton’s emergency responders and trying to keep residents safe. (If you’re not following us on Facebook, you can, here.) Many readers told us it was the only way they saw where the flooding was happening and just how dangerous it was.

We filed several stories yesterday on the flooding and will continue to follow up. The only other media outlet that says it covers Wilton published just one story, writing about the floods using the First Selectman’s press release. In an era where some communities have become news deserts, that’s not a good sign.

I’ve been working in media and news for 35-plus years and believe fiercely in the importance of news for the health of a community, for the knowledge it gives the public, and for democracy. I started GOOD Morning Wilton 11 years ago because I wanted to create something that strengthened our community, honoring everything we love about Wilton.

Last week we asked our newsletter subscribers to support GOOD Morning Wilton, and I’m grateful to so many people who stepped up. Today we’re expanding that plea to all of our readers.

Providing an essential service that so many of you trust and depend on has become harder. Here’s why:

  • News is free to read, but it’s not free to produce. Our costs have risen sharply, while at the same time, we’re working harder to cover more stories — about Town Hall, development in Wilton, changes at Wilton schools, and more. We can’t do that without good writers and paying them fairly.
  • More people are reading GMW. With other media doing less and less reporting on Wilton, more people count on us to bring them the news. No one else is dedicated full-time to covering Wilton, and only Wilton.
  • We have to continually renew our base of support. Our audience has shifted along with Wilton’s changing population. Many longtime supporters moved away, leaving a gap that readers new to Wilton haven’t yet filled.
  • Advertising dollars are constricting. Our advertisers — mostly small, local businesses — also face higher costs and some are cutting back on ad spending. As a result, we depend more on reader support.

We don’t charge to read GOOD Morning Wilton, but memberships recognize the value of our product and our hard work. For as little as $5 a month, a GOOD Morning Wilton membership can keep local, trusted, independent news going in Wilton.

If you rely on us, and value what GMW brings to Wilton — and has for the last 11 years — please consider supporting us today.

Yes! I’ll support GMW’s hard work

2 replies on “Celebrating GMW’s 11th Anniversary — At a Price”

  1. Another note of congratulations, Heather …!… you guys have really done well. Of course, I‘ve shared this with you more than once … and I will say it again. You have turned GMW an into a permanent fixture … and indeed a quality one in this area. Well done and heartiest congratulations to you and your staff. Proud of you, my dear. Cheers, best wishes … and here’s to the next ten years … and more. OK, some hugs, too! 😊

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