How The Westerville News Is Changing Its Approach to Social Media

Local news exists because of its subscribers. Not social media.

Discussion Breaks Down as Social Media Falls Short

Comment by Gary Gardiner / The Westerville News

I write for The Westerville News because this city matters to me. I’ve dedicated my career to journalism, working with newspapers and The Associated Press since the late 1960s. I believe in the importance of local news, and Westerville deserves consistent, thoughtful coverage. When no one else was reporting on the daily decisions shaping this city, I stepped up to take on that role.

This is a one-person newsroom. I write every word, take every photo, verify every fact.

It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it because I know how much people care about their neighborhoods, their schools, and their city.

Sometimes people get irritated not just with what I report, but with how I report it. I’ve been in this long enough to know that discomfort comes with the job. I once got caught in a tug-of-war between a Secret Service agent and a presidential aide, each grabbing one of my arms while I shifted my weight from leg to leg as they argued about my access. The aide won, not by force, but by warning that the presidential press office would not be pleased if I wasn’t allowed to use the private entrance. The agent backed off. After that, I was able to photograph President Reagan with Hot Dog Harry.

That kind of tension isn’t new to me. What’s new is that now it plays out in social media comment sections, without the stakes, credentials, or accountability.

Lately, I’ve noticed something hard to ignore. When I share individual stories on Facebook, especially about development, politics, or local policy, the comment threads often turn angry and unproductive. Many responses lack original thought or genuine engagement. They repeat the same talking points, often passed along without context or reflection. Few commenters share firsthand observations. Most respond emotionally rather than thoughtfully.

Sometimes people ask questions already answered in the article or leave comments without reading the story. The result is predictable. The discussion becomes heated, and the focus shifts away from the actual reporting. That kind of noise distracts from what matters.

Social media can be exhausting. The readers who take time to understand the story rarely comment, and when they do, their reactions are thoughtful and grounded in what they’ve read. I could spend much of a morning replying, but reasoned responses rarely persuade the loudest or most confrontational voices. Many accounts leave comments without any presence beyond their own reactions. There’s no dialogue. No context. No accountability.

This frustration isn’t unique to Westerville. A recent analysis by Nieman Lab reviewed more than a decade of journalists’ reflections on social media and found that enthusiasm for platforms has steadily declined. Early optimism about Facebook and Twitter connecting newsrooms to readers has been replaced by concern over toxicity, misinformation, and shrinking audience value.

The study noted that while journalists have grown disillusioned with platforms, they haven’t lost faith in their own audiences. That distinction matters. It’s a reminder that readers still care deeply about reliable local reporting, even when the platforms built to connect us now divide and distort.

Social Media Fails to Clarify, Fuels Division

Similar concerns have been reported elsewhere. Poynter has documented how many local news organizations are reducing or overhauling their use of Facebook and other social platforms because of toxic comment sections, harassment, and low-quality engagement. Newsrooms found that Facebook threads often devolved into personal attacks or misinformation, with little productive discussion. Many now post less frequently or direct audiences to newsletters and websites, where more constructive dialogue can occur. Preserving information integrity has become a key reason for the shift.

The Columbia Journalism Review reached a similar conclusion. It found that algorithm-driven platforms often distract from original reporting, reduce accountability, and amplify adversarial or superficial commentary. Many journalists have rediscovered that the most reliable connections are direct, through subscriptions, correspondence, and local events, not through platform reaction counts. Genuine community journalism, CJR observed, thrives when conversation happens on the newsroom’s terms, not the platform’s.

The findings echo what I’ve seen here. Real connection doesn’t happen in an algorithm-managed comment thread. It happens when people know who’s telling their story and can reach that person directly. That’s why The Westerville News focuses on subscribers, not on social metrics or online shouting matches.

The findings echo what I’ve seen here. Real connection doesn’t happen in an algorithm-managed comment thread. It happens when people know who’s telling their story and can reach that person directly. That’s why The Westerville News focuses on subscribers, not on social metrics or online shouting matches.

Why You’ll See Fewer Story Posts

To protect the work and keep the focus on facts, here’s what’s changing:

You’ll see fewer one-off story posts on Facebook.

• I’ll share weekly or twice-weekly roundups on social media instead.

• When something urgent or time-sensitive happens, I’ll still post it directly.

• Subscribers will continue receiving daily coverage. Nothing changes there.

The Westerville News is supported by subscriptions, not advertising, clicks, or social media engagement. That means I answer to readers, not sponsors or algorithms.

Subscribers, whether free or paid, are the ones who benefit from this reporting. It is not the harsh commenters on social media. If you’re a subscriber, you are the reason this work exists. You help keep local news alive in Westerville.

The best part of subscribing is simple. You receive a daily email with local news. No mysterious algorithm determines what you see. No engagement tricks. No endless scrolling through noise. Just honest reporting, sent directly to you. Reading The Westerville News means engaging with your community, not with a platform.

The Westerville News is intended for subscribers, who are always free to share any article on any social media platform.

Across the country, newsrooms are rethinking how they connect with readers without relying on social media platforms that obscure or distort their work. What remains is the most reliable connection of all. It is the relationship between a journalist and the people they cover.

I’m still reporting. Still here. Still committed to Westerville. Thank you to everyone who supports this work and values local news.

Gary Gardiner
The Westerville News

The Westerville News is a reader-supported publication by Gary Gardiner, a lifelong journalist who believes hyper-local reporting is the future of news. This publication focuses exclusively on Westerville—its local news, influence on Central Ohio, and how surrounding areas shape the community.

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