By By Adam Prestridge
Readers may have noticed several changes in The Atmore Advance over the past couple of weeks.
Whether it's a few new faces or the overall look of the paper, a lot of changes have occurred.
The Advance's staff is striving to revive the product so many Atmore residents grew to love. But with most changes, it will take time and a lot of effort on our part.
The biggest change is the addition of more locally generated news stories written on the family members and friends of our readers. By including the names and faces of those you know or love, it not only brings back the hometown feel of the Advance, but also the interest of our readers.
One of the more noticeable changes is the addition of a sports writer. Coming from an editorial background and serving as a sports editor for just over seven years, I believe sports is a vital organ of any southern newspaper, not to mention a south Alabama newspaper.
Also noticeable is the cleaner layout and design of the news product. By having a crisper look, which includes quality photographs of the people of Atmore, it too helps in the overall hometown feel of the Advance.
Some problems our readers may have noticed are the puzzled looks on the faces of the editorial staff when asked to attend an event or cover a story. Please don't take offense to these baffled looks; they're not intended to be in any way disrespectful. Readers will just have to bear with us because we don't know all the landmarks and side roads in Atmore.
Probably the most obvious problem to some of our readers is the delivery of the paper. The staff apologizes and asks that you be understandable to the changes we've made. Customer satisfaction is our No. 1 priority and you can be assured that each missed paper is addressed and a solution is quickly being made. Please just keep us informed and we'll continue to work for you.
Since most of us are newcomers, our readers' help is greatly needed throughout the coming months. Please be understandable. You'll be pleased in the long run.
A lot of newspapers throughout the nation rely on their readers to help in the changes they intend on making and other changes the readers may want to see. A panel of readers made up of a wide variety of individuals usually referred to as a Reader Advisory Board is selected and assists in this process.
Upon my arrival in Atmore, a member of the Advance's prior advisory board approached me concerned if it would ever meet again. If any other member are curious, the answer is yes.
So I ask that all readers who were members of this board please call me at 368-2124 or e-mail me a adam.prestridge@ atmoreadvance.com so I can get an up-to-date list of members and schedule a new meeting. After all, the Advance is the community's newspaper.
Thanks for reading.
Adam Prestridge is publisher of the Atmore Advance. He can be reached at 368-2123 or by e-mail at adam.prestridge@ atmoreadvance.com