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Local publisher urges Whiteville to amplify, not replace, community news
Summary
A local publisher and media business owner told council he supports increased municipal social-media communication but urged the city not to produce local sports, features and business profiles that would compete with four existing local media businesses in Whiteville.
A publisher representing a local news outlet told council he supports the idea of the city expanding communications but cautioned against the proposed plan's breadth.
Speaking as both a local-media business owner and a citizen, the commenter (speaker 2) said he appreciates efforts to help residents understand municipal operations but worries the social media plan includes non-governmental content such as local sports coverage and human-interest features. "I support the city of Whiteville sharing more information to the public," he said, "especially when it comes to municipal issues," but added he does not believe local government should act "as a general content producer" for community storytelling.
The commenter noted there are four local media businesses operating in Whiteville — two radio stations, a news website and a newspaper — and said those outlets rely on advertising to support content; he urged the city to focus on core government communications and, where appropriate, amplify local media content rather than reproduce it.
