Op-ed: NIT succeeding against incredible odds (by Peter Children)

I want to divert my direction this morning to that of giving.  It’s been said that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and I think that is probably true.  Of course there are many ways to give, the gift you receive isn’t always something you can see and hold in your hands, it might not be something you can wear or drive or eat…or drink…and the gift might not be just for you alone, it just might be for everyone.

We who live here were all gifted on that day a young man with a lot of enthusiasm and not much in the way of actual resources, became impregnated with a thought that kept coming back to him over and over, until that day when he finally decided to go for it.  That young man was Matt Marquardt and his idea was NorthIowaToday.com, the website you are now reading.

When Matt threw caution to the wind and plunged into the jungle infested swamp of news and advertising, he was throwing the dice against incredible adds.  But he knew his way around computers and the Internet enough to build his dream; now all he needed was some visitors, enough to start people talking, people who knew other people. I don’t think at the time he started this journey that his biggest nemesis would also be his biggest asset; the Globe Gazette, even though it was severely wounded financially it still insisted on maintaining an arms length relationship with its readers.  One letter every three weeks, limited to 300 words, name and address required….and the most egregious of all demands….the content of your letter. If they did not like it they would not print it.  Now all of that is gone, thank Matt Marquardt for that.

Bias and slanted news reporting, something which is the absolute worst crime a newspaper can commit still exists at the Globe.  Taking a side in political contests is totally uncalled for; the public should never be influenced in political races…they should only be encouraged to vote, to vote for whomever they feel is best.  Now a sweet smelling breeze is floating across our landscape, and we can thank one man for that.

He has worked hard to keep this site going, ran from pillar to post trying to get as much content as possible, and he did. Now he needs everyone who reads this site to subscribe to a very small monthly fee.  Personally I feel it is impossible to put a price on what he gave us, for what he gave us is priceless…….

Peter Children