Started in January of 2016 by three women, the Kiowa County Independent may qualify as the “new kid on the block”, but that hasn’t kept us from jumping to the front of the pack.

The Kiowa County Independent is the primary paid-subscription based newspaper serving the population of Kiowa County with additional subscribers in Kit Carson, Wiley, McClave, Lamar, Rocky Ford and La Junta and other communities. Our tabloid format, full color newspaper is distributed via USPS, email and drop sites every Wednesday.

The Independent is the quintessential “community newspaper”. Unlike any other publication based in Southeastern Colorado, newspaper content is original and generated by talented, experienced, local writers with an editorial focus primarily concentrated on those events most relevant to the lives of people residing in the region.

Every week, readers can turn to the “News” section where articles range from, for example, the financial impact of Medicaid Expansion on the local hospital to an interview with a visiting Democratic candidate for Governor of Colorado to the myriad of potential opportunities Kiowa County farmers can find in growing hemp. In the “Business” section, readers learn about topics such as the challenges faced by independent cattle ranchers or the latest “Indy Pick”-- a profile of a local business that displays the true spirit of entrepreneurialism. In “Sports”, they’ll enjoy a summary of the previous weekend’s high school games (an iconic topic of interest in the small town culture) complete with play-by-play coverage accompanied by truly great photographs. In “Lifestyles”, they can catch the latest in community events as well as a broad cross section of columns and feature articles. The Independent is also the designated legal publication for Kiowa County and, as such, contains all legal notices generated by city and county municipalities and private parties.

So, why the in-depth description of editorial content?

The answer is simple: the Kiowa County Independent fills a niche in this area that no other publication fills. By providing relevant, up-to-date, well written coverage of local issues and events, the Independent has built a very strong relationship with readers, serving as a venue for the exchange of ideas while creating an increased sense of community identity. This is beneficial to advertisers since the Independent functions as a virtual marketplace where advertisers can communicate directly with customers—both current and prospective alike.

In addition to our weekly press run of 800 print copies plus close to 100 digital subscribers, the Independent also has a strong digital presence. Our Facebook page is followed by close to 1700 people, many of whom have a dynamic, participatory relationship with the paper. Our website, which has been noted for its interesting, user friendly design, consistently averages around 22,000 unique hits every month.

We also publish special editions tied to seasonal events and distributed to the general public, in both print and digital format, throughout the 7 counties of Southeastern Colorado.

Finally, our advertising rates are very reasonable, especially in light of the enhanced impact each ad attains, given our decision to publish at no more than a 28% advertising to editorial ratio. Also, each display ad that appears in print is concurrently posted on our website at no additional cost.

We have ambitious dreams for the Kiowa County Independent, and, if the last two years are any indication, we stand a very good chance of realizing those dreams…and more. We invite you to join us on this ever-growing, always exciting adventure.

The Kiowa County Independent is a member of the Colorado Press Association.

Kiowa County Independent
1316 Maine Street
P.O. Box 272
Eads, Colorado 81036
kiowacountyindependent.com

Betsy Barnett, Publisher
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(office) 719-438-2040
(cell) 719-940-0799

Priscilla Waggoner, Editor
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(office) 719-438-2040
(cell) 719-691-0332