It’s anniversary time again for your award-winning weekly newspaper.

Yes, it’s birthday number 34 for The Fountain Hills Times. We published our first edition on June 27, 1974. At times that seems like a long time ago, but at other times it seems like yesterday.

We began publication as The Times of Fountain Hills. In the late 1990s, we changed to The Fountain Hills Times after learning of a copyright from the 1920s that The Times of London had on that title for newspapers. They were challenging newspapers in court for using what they called their “trade name.”

With my high visibility at the time as a member of the board of directors of the National Newspaper Association, I felt it was only a matter of time before they would come knocking.

The newspaper industry has made quite a few changes since the days when we opened our doors on east Enterprise Drive. Many are predicting the days of the newspaper are numbered.

I don’t subscribe to that kind of thinking. I feel a product that continues to have value to a major segment of the market will continue to succeed.

The big papers are struggling. They have lost their main revenue source, the Classified Section, to “internet classified companies” such as Craig’s List.

On the news side, the local news team should be just that. If it is an item about women being assaulted in a neighborhood park, the newspaper remains the best place to “read all about it.” It can provide much more information about the incidents, suspect information and victims’ stories. But a city newspaper can’t keep up with cable television stations on national and international stories.

In the two hours of time it would take the city paper to report a  story about a downtown explosion, print and distribute the newspaper, a TV station wouId have video footage and many more details from the scene of what turned out to be a major terrorist attack.             

I still feel that most people who live in a community prefer the traditional print edition of a newspaper. I do agree that a newspaper, no matter its size or market, must also have a web edition. The two editions must interact. Here, at The Times, we print the weekly providing a variety of news and features about happenings each week in the area communities. Then we provide daily news updates on the 4:30 News on The Times Online web site. We even have a video version of the 4:30 News.

We hear about the printed newspaper being a “dinosaur” and a “killer of trees.” Most are printed on totally recycled paper. You can carry your newspaper anywhere you go, from the breakfast table to the office. And it never has to be turned on or re-booted to start reading it.

As part of our 34th birthday celebration, we are making it easier to become a subscriber and have the printed version delivered to your driveway every Wednesday morning.

We have reduced the price for this service to just $19 for a one-year home-delivered subscription. That’s half the regular rate. The offer is for new subscribers only.

This offer is good until Sept. 30. Just give us a call and have your credit card ready or fill out the coupon in the full-page ad on Page 16A. Mail the coupon with a check to The Times, P.O. Box 17869, Fountain Hills, AZ 85269

And we’re all anxious to show off our offices when we host the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce Mixer tomorrow (Thursday, June 26).

Come on down for a hot dog and cake and see where your weekly newspaper comes together. Activities begin with a ribbon cutting at 5 p.m. We will have door prizes to give away.

Come join the party.