"I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense ..." Thomas Paine, 1776, pamphleteer
HAYS, Kan. - Today is our first month anniversary! The Kansas Free Press launched just one month ago, on October 1st. Since that first day, the reception, readership and traffic here has been phenomenal. Our 54 writers have collectively filed 121 stories. During October, this site has had 271,959 "hits" and we have welcomed between 365 and 5,070 unique visitors every day! That's really magnificent! We are so grateful to our readers for welcoming this new project with such enthusiasm. Thank you! We will do our best to continue to live up to your expectations.
So, what is the Kansas Free Press? As it steadily grows over the coming months and years, the Kansas Free Press will strive to be a trusted state-wide online newspaper, featuring both opinion and news, written by citizen journalists about people, places, politics and policies that effect Kansans.
Our writers are chiefly interested in examining what the people of Kansas value most and how we, our governments, communities and neighbors respond to those values.
By writing about the places, local events, politics and, especially, the people of Kansas, our journalists hope to coax others into meaningful public conversations about our way of life and the future of Kansas.
With both boldness and simplicity, this electronic newspaper seeks to provide opportunities for everyday citizens in Kansas to speak freely with one another about things that truly matter to Kansans.
Why citizen writers?
Many of our journalists desire to exercise their 1st Amendment rights by gathering information about what happens in school board meetings, community events, county commission meetings or in the state legislature. Others simply hope to share the news from their communities that mainstream newspapers routinely overlook. Some of our writers advocate for causes. Others want to share entertainment and cultural news with you. We also have journalists here who are interested in writing about sports, history or the arts of Kansas.
Collectively, we take our inspiration from Thomas Paine and his pamphleteering.
At the Kansas Free Press, we believe that citizens should always have access to free presses for the health of democracy - and for the empowerment and autonomy inherent in true citizenship. One of our writers wrote this piece as an expression of his unique hope for what KFP would be. Each of our writers at KFP have similar passions for citizen journalism, although each writer is motivated individually.
All of our writers want to be more informed about their communities and their state - and they want to ensure other citizens have good information, too.
If you are interested in writing with us here, let us know. If you wish to contact us, see our contact page.
KFP is an offspring of the highly acclaimed national blog, Everyday Citizen. To learn more about the Kansas Free Press, you may wish to browse these pages too:
- Directory of Writers and Authors
- Pamphleteering
- Recommend Site to Others
- Frequently Asked Questions
- About Feeds, Subscriptions and Readers
- Contact Us
- Table of Contents
Thank you for helping us celebrate our first month anniversary!
"This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today." - Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1882 - 1945
Congrats Pam -- keep up the great work!
The Thanks really goes to the phenomenal writers here at KFP. Including you, Mike.
Pam, thank you for your hard work and providing this valuable resource for writers and those who take an active interest in seeking out many views on topics that affect our lives so profoundly.