The longtime editor reflects on his career, criticizes years of cuts by Lee Enterprises and worries about what his departure could mean for the future of local journalism in Cabarrus County.
Three years ago, Mark presented an informational session on "The State of the News" at After Dark @ All Saints', an annual program featuring a collection of classes and sessions. The information was timely, with emphasis on the inexorable move to online and digital channels. I appreciate his insight, his honest and thorough reporting, and his dedication to telling the local story. I will miss him and miss the physical paper.
This makes me sad. Mark's Friday Five column was one of the few things I would read regularly in the Independent Tribune. I will probably cancel my subscription, but, unfortunately, that just makes the paper less sustainable.
Thanks for sharing. So sad to see. I interned at the Tribune many years ago and worked at the Concord Standard right before it folded. My college professor apologized to me a few years after I graduated, sorry that he was teaching a dying art. It has served me well for many different aspects of life, but it’s so deeply sad how it’s not invested in. Community journalism is something we need so much of right now in a world where democracy can only be kept alive by actual truth. Thanks for all the work you and he have done in this regard.
So sad! I loved the Friday five. I cancelled my independent tribune subscription when they first did cuts. I also didn’t love the digital access options and much prefer the ease of Substack.
I'm old enough to remember the "police blotter" in the old Tribune. If you got caught doing anything you were in the paper😜. Also Mr. Trib was the forerunner of Google just not as quick to answer.
But as we all know times have changed and I was shocked and disappointed last year when my FIL passed and the paper wanted $400 to publish the same obituary that the funeral home had online. All we could afford was a few basic lines with no real details.
I hate to see the loss of newspapers across the region. I grew up in Charlotte in the 1970"s, and the decline in journalism since then is enormous. Sports coverage back then included stories and box scores of every major league game the day before. High schools and college sports were heavily covered, to my delight. National and local coverage were excellent. I no longer subscribe, partially because I don't like not holding a paper in my hand, and partially because I no longer can stomach the Observer's editorial content. We need local journalism in each county. I feel like the electronic media has made the public apathetic to news, and that's a loss we all have to bare.
MARK PLEMMONS will be missed by everyone that has ever read his articles and his coworkers etc. What a shame to let him go from his job…they merely gave him an excuse, not a reason. Thats just my opinion and it sounds more like the Corporate America way that i dont agree with. I wish Mark great success in the future.
Petition to move the Friday Five to the Cabarrus Compass please
I will miss Mark. I have also canceled my sub to Indy Tribune. And I agree that we should have the Friday Five on the Cabarrus Compass!
Three years ago, Mark presented an informational session on "The State of the News" at After Dark @ All Saints', an annual program featuring a collection of classes and sessions. The information was timely, with emphasis on the inexorable move to online and digital channels. I appreciate his insight, his honest and thorough reporting, and his dedication to telling the local story. I will miss him and miss the physical paper.
Great idea to have Friday Five on Cabarrus Compass! And thank you Mark !
This makes me sad. Mark's Friday Five column was one of the few things I would read regularly in the Independent Tribune. I will probably cancel my subscription, but, unfortunately, that just makes the paper less sustainable.
I hope to hear that Mark is contributing to Cabarrus Compass.
Thanks for sharing. So sad to see. I interned at the Tribune many years ago and worked at the Concord Standard right before it folded. My college professor apologized to me a few years after I graduated, sorry that he was teaching a dying art. It has served me well for many different aspects of life, but it’s so deeply sad how it’s not invested in. Community journalism is something we need so much of right now in a world where democracy can only be kept alive by actual truth. Thanks for all the work you and he have done in this regard.
What a loss to the community and businesses. Thank you Mark for all the years Guess Hoffman is another liar to add to the list. How saf
Oh no! This is devastating news. WHO will tell our stories??? Mark Plemmons, you will be missed!
As a Concord native, this breaks my heart! Let's go Chris and Mark! I am behind you guys!
So sad! I loved the Friday five. I cancelled my independent tribune subscription when they first did cuts. I also didn’t love the digital access options and much prefer the ease of Substack.
I'm old enough to remember the "police blotter" in the old Tribune. If you got caught doing anything you were in the paper😜. Also Mr. Trib was the forerunner of Google just not as quick to answer.
But as we all know times have changed and I was shocked and disappointed last year when my FIL passed and the paper wanted $400 to publish the same obituary that the funeral home had online. All we could afford was a few basic lines with no real details.
Please give us contact information for those in control so we can voice our opinions. The names help, but not if we don't know how to reach them!
I hate to see the loss of newspapers across the region. I grew up in Charlotte in the 1970"s, and the decline in journalism since then is enormous. Sports coverage back then included stories and box scores of every major league game the day before. High schools and college sports were heavily covered, to my delight. National and local coverage were excellent. I no longer subscribe, partially because I don't like not holding a paper in my hand, and partially because I no longer can stomach the Observer's editorial content. We need local journalism in each county. I feel like the electronic media has made the public apathetic to news, and that's a loss we all have to bare.
This is such disappointing news for our community. Sorry for the loss of your job Mark.
MARK PLEMMONS will be missed by everyone that has ever read his articles and his coworkers etc. What a shame to let him go from his job…they merely gave him an excuse, not a reason. Thats just my opinion and it sounds more like the Corporate America way that i dont agree with. I wish Mark great success in the future.