Wood

Patrick J. Wood will present “The Role of Newspapers and Digital Media in Small Communities” at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 11, at the Waupaca Area Public Library.

Patrick Wood is the CEO and publisher of Multi Media Channels LLC and publisher of the Waupaca County Post.

Because the national media, as well as many regional publications and broadcast media, have retreated dramatically in covering the news of smaller communities, a significant void has resulted.

When daily newspapers cease to address local news of smaller communities, weekly newspapers such as the Waupaca County Post and their affiliated digital sites need to fill this role.

Wood will discuss what our lives would look like if community newspapers and digital media were unable to step in to generate and communicate local content.

A community like Waupaca County would lose much of its quality of life without the reporting of activities such as high school sports, school boards, village and city council meetings and other important local events.

MMC is a Wisconsin media company that owns 17 weekly newspapers and their associated websites in central and northern Wisconsin.

Wood earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Norbert College and a master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame. He served as an adjunct faculty member of Duquesne University for eight years, teaching marketing communications.

The free program is sponsored by Winchester Academy and is open to the public.

Cookies and coffee are served at 6 p.m. and the program begins promptly at 6:30 p.m.

Winchester Academy programs are funded through sponsors and tax-deductible donations.

Wood’s program is sponsored by Vance and Ann Linden.

For more information about Winchester Academy, follow the group on Facebook or contact Executive Director Ann Buerger Linden at 715-258-2927 or buergerlinden@gmail.com.