While most newspapers are blaming the Internet for destroying print journalism, one local paper is embracing the future and expanding its audience. The Morning Journal, which serves northern Ohio (from Lorain), is breaking news first on its webpage and mobile phone apps, supplementing with social media, and then backing it up with the print edition. Editor Tom Skoch writes:

HERE we are, a decade into the 21st century. The “future” is now. And never has the future of local news looked so good to this newspaper guy.

For The Morning Journal’s readers, that means getting the news sooner than ever, in more dimensions, and in new ways that best suit their needs.

It also means engaging readers in a continuing conversation that brings them into the news process.

The Morning Journal and other newspapers like us in the Journal Register Company family are, collectively, becoming one of the most-watched news outfit in the nation.

That is because under JRC’s new CEO John Paton we are rapidly evolving from being a “newspaper company” to being a “media company.” That means taking a quantum leap off the one-dimensional surface of the printed page to bring you the news more quickly and in more dimensions than ever….

Even if you don’t live in their local area, these are journalists worth getting to know, just for their approach to information delivery.

Newspaper website — The Morning Journal

Their Facebook page — MJ

Tom Skoch on Twitter — @MJ_Tom_Skoch

The next time you hear the WaPo or the New York Times caterwauling about declining readership, dear readers, you don’t have to feel sorry for them.