In Camden, Maine, the Villager Cafe is revitalizing local journalism by offering customers meals alongside the Midcoast Villager newspaper, which it subsidizes. Owner Reade Brower, who previously owned many of Maine’s newspapers, merged four weeklies into this new venture to foster community engagement and trust in news. With rising circulation revenue and a focus on quality diner food, the cafe serves as a gathering spot for locals to connect with journalists. This unique model is seen as a promising experiment in sustaining local news amid declining publications.
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