The Sumter Item is working to keep you informed by customizing news to your needs

We've received a great response from the first editions of The Sumter Item Impact, and we're excited about the future of this newspaper that reaches more than 28,000 each month - more than any other regularly printed product in Sumter history.

Having an "Impact" is a big theme of 2024 at The Item.

We want to impact your life by making you more informed. We want you to know about events happening around you, know more about options for citizens regarding local government and to shine a light on some of the great people in our area.

We also hope you read this and think "these Item reporters are really important to Sumter and doing amazing local reporting, and I want to get more," and subscribe to The Item at TheItem.com/subscribe.

Even if you don't subscribe, we still want you to be informed. We know it's important for the health of the local community.

We've put a lot of emphasis in the past few years on reaching locals who haven't traditionally been Item readers. One recent example I'm excited about is our focus on reaching Gen Z, an initiative led by Alaysha Maple and comprised of our Sumter's Next Generation print and video series, regular visits by Item staff to schools, student field trips to our office and more.

This extends to sports as well, with The Grind, Athlete of the Week and the upcoming "Biggest Night in Sumter Sports" event, The Bobbys.

Different groups within Sumter have varying wants and needs from local news, and our goal is to meet those needs where they are - in print or online, on social media or through video, through email newsletters or the USPS.

It's an incredibly challenging task, a challenge local media has never had to face in quite the same way before. Local news is no longer "one size fits all," and we're working every day to make it more customized to your needs.

Thank you for joining us on the journey. Let's make an impact.