Newsberg
Branden Andersen – Founder, editor & publisher.
editor@newsberg.org
www.newsberg.org
Hours: M-F : 9 – 5 pm
Mission Statement
Newsberg was founded on the idea that the Newberg-Dundee area deserves a local, independent, non-partisan media outlet to connect with their community and strengthen the bonds that solidify a happy, healthy town.
Newsberg aims to produce high-quality, objective local journalism that informs the public on local business, government, and quality of life of Chehalem Valley citizens. Newsberg holds public policy-makers accountable as much as it tells the stories of the people and organizations that make this area great. We report on events before they happen, stories that actually matter, and community when it’s needed most.
The trust and respect of our audience will never be compromised. Our reporting will be free to all, no matter what.
Business Products or Services
Events Calendar, Local News Reporting, Weekly Email Newsletter, Social Media Account, Local Business Advertising
Business Industry Standing
Newsberg is an independent local media outlet, meaning we’re not owned or controlled by regional or national news conglomerates that pump irrelevant or inflammatory news into our communities. It’s written, edited, advertised, and published by local neighbors who care for and have a stake in Newberg. We work with community leaders to develop one of the most comprehensive events calendars, supporting local businesses and organizations who want to build bonds within our community.
Customer Engagement
When I started Newsberg, I saw a gap that needed to be filled. So, I dusted off my journalism degree and just started writing. After about three weeks, I attended a few community events and introduced myself as the founder of this little community news outlet called Newsberg. The response, “Oh, you’re Newsberg! I was wondering who was behind that,” was a common response. Earlier this month, I attended the community fair at George Fox and the number of students who were already following our social media accounts and interacting with our news stories was shocking. I’m proud every time I hear or see someone reading or engaging with our stories, feeling the bonds that local community journalism can provide to a town strengthen with each and every interaction.
Misconceptions
Many people think journalists are out here to “getcha.” Everything is generated by clicks and inflammatory news that take someone down or harm someone’s livelihood. However, my philosophy is and always has been that the deepest roots hold the strongest trees. If I were to come out and distribute lies, nonsense, or otherwise needlessly negative press about my community, my tree would fall over in the slightest gust of wind. Rather if I present myself as an honest, moral, ethical community resource that seeks to inform and engage, the roots dig deeper, community support follows, and the town starts to remember that we’re all doing this thing together.
Name Origin Story
Oh man, it just hit me one day. I’ve been wanting to start something out here for a little while after recognizing the gap in local reporting. I think I was talking with my wife, tossing around names like “Chehalem Valley Connection” and “Newberg-Dundee Dispatch” when “Newberg News” came up. As a new father, my dad joke instincts kicked in and mashed the words together. Once I saw that newsberg.org was available, I knew I had to follow through.
Starting Up Stories
Well for one, I decided to publish my first story two weeks after my first child was born. I had been cooking up the idea for a while, and something about holding my kiddo for the first time made me take the leap. So my son and my business are the same age — which will keep things easy.
I was dragging my feet a little bit to get this rolling when I was driving through town and noticed, after having the doors temporarily shut for a few weeks, there were a few vans parked outside of See See Motor Coffee loading stuff up. I quickly pulled over, put my “report hat” on for the first time in years, and got my very first Newsberg story. I remembered that feeling of putting a story together in your head as you’re interviewing a source, and was hooked.
There were a few hurdles after I started publishing, as there is a record-high distrust in the media in this day and age. Each time I reached out to someone for an interview, I was severely vetted — my LinkedIn profile was experiencing a lot of hits, people were messaging around, etc. — to make sure I was legitimate and not out to harm anyone.
At my very first public event with Newsberg, the George Fox Community Fair this year, I had several students come up and talk to me, asking who founded or owns Newsberg. I let them know it was me and a few of them said, “Oh, so you ARE Newsberg!” It made my heart sing and my face smile each and every time.
