A Note from the Publisher

When something local changes, people notice.

They should.

A newspaper or a radio station isn’t just another business—it’s part of the identity of a community. These are the institutions that tell the stories of a place over time, day by day, week by week, name by name.

So as OnTheGoMedia steps into this next chapter with the Hampton Chronicle, I understand there are questions. About direction. About priorities. About what, if anything, will be different.

Those are fair questions.

Here’s the honest answer: the mission doesn’t change.

Our mission at OnTheGoMedia has always been to provide trusted news, engaging entertainment, and coverage of the local issues and activities that matter most. We aim to serve our communities across multiple platforms, meeting people where they are.

Now, we’ve added something new—a tangible product you can hold in your hands. With the Chronicle, we’re able to provide more complete coverage on the air, online, and in print.

It’s a volatile time in the media industry. It seems there’s news of an acquisition or downsizing nearly every day. Here’s what we know as a locally owned media company: good local journalism is still about showing up, paying attention, and telling the truth about what’s happening in the communities we serve.

That includes the big stories, but just as importantly, the smaller ones—the meetings, the milestones, and the people who make this place what it is.

For me, this work is personal.

I care deeply about Hampton, Franklin County, and all of the surrounding communities we serve. I’m originally from Dumont in Butler County, and I’ve had the opportunity to serve this community before, including as mayor of Hampton in 2012 and 2013. That experience shaped how I view local responsibility—and the importance of staying connected to the people and places that make the Greater Franklin County area what it is.

It also means recognizing that no newspaper, no radio station—no media company—can be everything to everyone. Decisions are made every day about what to cover and how to cover it. Not everyone will always agree with those decisions. That’s part of the editorial responsibility that comes with the job.

You may notice one immediate change in this first edition.

With the closure of the printing facility, the Chronicle is no longer being printed in Hampton. That change has impacted people in a very real way, and my heart goes out to those affected. My prayer is that each of them finds new opportunities quickly.

In the short term, we’ve partnered with the Charles City Press to ensure continuity in printing. They’ve been phenomenal to work with, helping make sure we don’t miss a publication during this transition.

You may also notice a difference in the format, including a wider page size—something longtime readers may recognize from earlier versions of the Chronicle. How long this arrangement continues remains to be seen, but our priority right now is simple: to deliver the paper consistently each week while we navigate this transition the right way.

Our mindset in these early days is simple: do the work, adapt where needed, and keep moving forward.

What you will see over time is an effort to build on what’s already here across all our brands and extensions—and to make it stronger.

On the radio, our news coverage is necessarily brief. In many cases, we’re telling important local stories in 150 to 200 words at a time. That’s the nature of the format.

By bringing the Chronicle into closer alignment with RadioOnTheGo News, we now have the opportunity to do both: continue delivering timely, concise updates on the air, while also expanding some of those stories in print and online with more depth, more context, and more follow-up.

It works the other direction as well.

The Chronicle already features strong local voices through its columns and community connections. There’s an opportunity to take some of those voices—whether it’s local outdoors coverage, unique perspectives, or stories from beyond our area—and extend them into new formats like podcasts, allowing those stories to reach people in a different way.

None of that replaces what the Chronicle has been for 150 years. It builds on it.

Like anything else, trust isn’t built through a single column or a single edition. It’s built over time—through consistent work, steady coverage, and a clear commitment to the community.

That’s the work ahead—and it’s work worth doing. We’re pushing play on local—and I hope you’ll listen, read, and watch as the story continues.