A year ago, on November 1st, 2020 we launched an idea that was years in the making. A completely digital, full-scope local news medium for Southern West Virginia. Lootpress was born as an experiment in what the future of local news delivery would be. In a world of declining subscriptions to traditional news outlets, and the growth of reliance upon social media for local news of importance, we felt there was a need and appetite for competent, unbiased local journalism.
Local journalism binds communities together, analyzes societal issues in the public forum, and provides a means of communicating to the world who we are, and what we love. The decline in local news sources throughout rural West Virginia has led us to create Lootpress, with an overarching mission to deliver unbiased local news content to the underserved communities of Southern West Virginia.
Over the past year, we have been pleased to have grown from our humble beginnings to a complete local news medium producing an average of over 40 pieces of original content per day, providing the most complete local sports coverage available, and reaching the news consumer with relevant content with no pay-wall, completely supported by advertising.
We are committed to this platform and the community it serves. Going forward into the future there are great things on the horizon for Lootpress and our users. We are currently developing the Lootpress App which will be available on Google and iTunes stores by the end of the year. As well, with election season upon us, Lootpress will unveil a political section that will be the most complete election coverage in the state. We will also be expanding into different areas of the state to continue providing robust and meaningful local news coverage.
We could not have achieved what we have without you, the user, supporting our efforts along the way. I thank all of you for following us, sharing our stories, and spreading the word that there is a new form of local news in Southern West Virginia. As well, we thank our advertisers for joining us in providing impactful local news coverage in the last year. Without you, none of this would be possible.
From the staff at Lootpress, I extend our thanks to all of you for making our 1st year one of remarkable growth and impact. We look forward to working for our community for years to come.
All my best,
Brandon Steele
Publisher
