The Daily Item has been an important source of news in Sunbury and the surrounding counties for almost 100 years. Even in an ever-changing media landscape, the newspaper continues to play a vital role in keeping communities informed on both local and state levels. A strong bond exists between the newspaper and its readers. As in any successful partnership, open communication between parties is key.
In 2016, former Daily Item Editor Dennis Lyons had the idea to create a direct channel between the paper’s editorial team and the public by establishing a community advisory board. The plan was to gather a diverse group of citizens who would meet in person once a month and discuss editorial content with Daily Item staff. Starting with five members, the board represents numerous backgrounds and professions, with only one exclusion: politicians. The rule still applies.
Current Daily Item Editor Bill Bowman leads the advisory board today
It has grown to nine members and meets via Zoom in the post-COVID years. Meetings are held from September through May to make room for summer vacations.
According to Bowman, participation is not just a casual, passing interest. “These folks are fascinated with the inner workings of the newspaper,” he said. “No detail is out of bounds for them to understand, from how the paper is edited to how it is printed.” Some board members have even taken to writing columns every few weeks.
The competing views and perspectives derived from these meetings provide keen insights for Daily Item reporters, offering different angles to stories they have researched. According to Bowman, the citizens on the panel effectively become an extension of the editorial team, additional eyes and ears in the community.
Examples include two high-profile stories from the last two years, a story about AI translation technology at Susquehanna University and how toxic masculinity has crept into certain corners of youth culture. Members of the board guided the editorial team into directions not previously considered in their reporting and presented additional responses not pursued earlier. Both stories garnered above-average community engagement in print and online.
No board members are ever asked to leave, unless they run for political office. Turnover is low. Currently, the group consists of four women and five men with an average age of 50. Potential plans exist for student outreach at local universities, such as Bucknell and Susquehanna. There are no plans to expand beyond nine participants, as Bowman and his team believe adding additional participants may not allow all voices heard.
Bowman believes this strong connection only makes the Daily Item a more viable product for the future. “Our community advisory board is a great asset to me and our newspaper,” he said. “They are well-read, diverse and ask a lot of questions that make us think as a news organization, something all great advisory boards should do.”