Southpoint Access

Can South Durham Buck the Trend and Support Local News?

Most people assume “someone else” funds journalism. In South Durham, that someone is us.

Wes Platt

18 Feb 2026 — 4 min read

A percentage of all Southpoint Access revenue until the end of March 2026 goes to the Rogers-Herr Middle School Music Boosters.

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A Pew Research Center study found only 16% of Americans paid for news in the past year – and just 8% think we’ve got a responsibility to pay for it.

Ouch.

It’s pretty clear in this report that many people value the results of local journalism like you’ll find in Southpoint Access, but most assume “somebody else” will cover the bill.

In South Durham, “somebody else” isn’t a big newsroom downtown. It’s my upstairs desk in my home in Hope Valley Ridge, or sometimes a table at the Durham County Library, or the sidewalk outside Bean Traders. This is where I write about Durham Public Schools, new developments like Leigh Village Center and Creekside, and new SoDu businesses. My work consistently depends on neighbors like you deciding that it’s worth supporting.

Maybe you grew up with the idea that local news “just exists,” but producing it costs money and time: reporting, records requests, editing, publishing tools, marketing, and just the plain old hours it takes to show up and make sense of what’s changing in our community.

And South Durham is changing fast.

If we want coverage that’s truly local – grounded in our neighborhoods, our schools, and our day-to-day concerns – then the most practical answer is also the simplest:

We support it.

How Can You Help?

Southpoint Access offers three reader subscription levels, including:

SoDu Crew: $5 per month/$50 per year.
SoDu True Blue: $10 per month/$100 per year.
SoDu Long View: $25 per month/$250 per year.

Just a small slice of SoDu households with subscriptions would add up to steadier, more predictable reporting power than “hoping ads cover it” – the same hope Pew found many Americans rely on.

Sponsorship Is Infrastructure

Pew’s data also underscores something businesses already understand: many people think advertising/sponsorship is how news should be funded.

Southpoint Access provides three business-level options, including:

Neighborhood Partner: $50 per month/$500 per year.
Community Partner: $100 per month/$1,000 per year.
Presenting Partner: $250 per month/$2,500 per year.

If you’ve got customers in and around South Durham, supporting local journalism is one of the rare “marketing” expenses that also strengthens the community you’re trying to serve. (And it’s worth noting that I’m not keeping this revenue all to myself – I share a percentage with local schools! Until March 31, the Rogers-Herr Middle School Music Boosters Club is my chosen recipient.)

What If You Can’t Pay?

Many families live paycheck to paycheck, and you’re already paying for streaming service subscriptions, so it can be a bridge too far to ask neighbors to kick in for a local news source.

If you can’t afford a subscription to Southpoint Access, you can also help by spreading the word – share newsletters with neighbors, especially people who always ask what’s happening around South Durham!

You’re also invited to send me tips/photos so coverage reflects what’s really happening across our neighborhoods.

SoDu We Like Local News?

The findings in this Pew Research Center study aren’t just a national statistic – they provide a mirror. Do we want local news to be something we scroll past or something we sustain?

If Southpoint Access has helped you feel more connected, more informed, or just more oriented to what’s changing around Southpoint and Hope Valley, consider turning that value into a monthly commitment.

If only 16% pay for news nationally, our community should be able to beat that average and protect something worth keeping.

Best,

Wes Platt
Neighborhood News Guy

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