N.I.C.E Behind the Scenes: Why NW Local still prints for the people

For more than five years, Steve and Carolyn Filmore have been printing a newspaper for their neighbors in Northwest Philadelphia. They’re not journalists or editors by trade. Rather, they’re documentarians who are committing acts of journalism.

The Local, their monthly newspaper, is free to readers and sparse on traditional advertising. They’d rather use their non-editorial space to promote non-profit organizations.

Every day, the Filmores would say they are defying pervasive narratives in the journalism industry, particularly that print is dying (although they do maintain a website) and creative advertising is the lifeline.

Steve and Carolyn are among the newest members of WHYY’s News and Information Community Exchange. The September edition of their paper creates space for a handful of N.I.C.E partners, including P.O.C, the host of ‘Mad or Nah?’; and Uptown Radio WJYN 98.5.

The Filmores recently sat down with WHYY to discuss their involvement in N.I.C.E, their thoughts on objectivity, and why print still matters.