A Native American-owned newspaper based in Martin has become the first weekly newspaper in South Dakota to offer a mobile app to its readers. But this shouldn’t be a surprise…considering the number of Facebook followers this small-town publication has.
The Lakota Country Times is the largest Lakota-owned and operated independent color newspaper. The publication has sections created by Native schools in the area as well as being the legal paper for the Rosebud and Oglala Sioux Tribes.
Publisher Connie Smith feels the reason for her paper’s popularity is its content.
“There’s been newspapers out there that would always do negative stories,” Smith observes. “We felt like…okay…that information is already out there. So we’ve always done positive. And that’s why I approached the schools to have these partnerships to where we can have students write articles.”
The Lakota Country Times still covers controversial topics, adds Smith, but they’re not the paper’s primary focus.
Once she saw the publication’s Facebook numbers growing and comments from followers around the world, Smith knew it was time for the next technological step…a mobile app.
“Facebook numbers have really gone through the roof,” explains Smith. “Because it’s the ease of the app. You can put the app on your phone and anybody that wants to follow what we’re doing…or follow what I’m doing on the route…all they have to do is click on there.”
The Lakota Country Times has nearly 200,000 Facebook followers. This outdistances many competitors across the state and the region.
Related links:
https://www.facebook.com/lakotacountrytimes/?fref=ts
http://www.lakotacountrytimes.com/