Coverage that matters

And why it's worth supporting

My younger son runs cross-country and winter/spring track for Westlake.

So I am a paid subscriber to Examiner Media online. The Examiner used to be a more in-depth print publication until recently as the industry changes and adapts, just as I have with The Raider/Panther Reporter.

My son also participates in theater with the Westlake Players performing the fall drama and the spring musical.

So I am now a paid subscriber to Pete Kramer’s Substack. Pete used to cover local theater for the Journal News. He’s now retired and doing the coverage on his own.

This image is from a screenshot of a video I took of my son (third from right) at the Metro Awards last night. He performed as part of a medley for the Featured Male Performers category as he was a nominee for a Metro for the second year in a row. It’s always good to have art in a post, so this is the art.

WHY DO I SUBSCRIBE: I subscribe to Examiner and Pete Kramer because those are the local media that support my son’s interests. I subscribe to support those communities because I know how important local coverage is.

The odds that my son ever gets a mentions or a photo or an interview in either the Examiner or Pete’s Substack is pretty low. And I’m pretty good at taking my own photos. In fact, the Westlake yearbook came out today and I recognized many of the images of my son’s teammates because I am the unofficial official team photographer and I guess they grabbed some.

WHY SHOULD YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THE RAIDER/PANTHER REPORTER?: Being a hyperlocal sports e-newspaper dedicated to the same type of in-depth, thoughtful coverage for Scarsdale and Edgemont varsity athletes that I gave at The Scarsdale Inquirer from 1999-2024, a high percentage of student-athletes WILL get highlighted and/or interviewed and/or photographed and/or have their stats and results included in my stories over their high school years. Many will check multiple boxes on that list.

And it also supports the community and your friends and neighbors.

Several parents from a team recently created accounts at raiderpanther.com, but stopped at the payment part. It’s very deflating to see that, especially with the amount of time, effort and expense I put into that team—and all teams—throughout the season. Yes, teams that have postseason success will get that extra special coverage beyond the regular season.

I don’t know of anyone who isn’t getting paid for their work: admins, coaches, officials, security, chaperones, those at the scorekeeper’s table, equipment suppliers, bus drivers, you name it. Heck, the restaurants and staff for post-game meals, too! But why the hesitancy to pay for quality sports coverage that can’t be matched?

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T?: If this isn’t sustainable and it doesn’t allow me to pay my bills—being self-employed I have to pay all my own payroll taxes and my medical coverage recently skyrocketed, etc., etc., etc., in addition to all other normal bills and expenses—then I will have to seek something else to do and it will strip the community of a vital resource that I do not believe will be equally replaced. I’d rather do this than something else, so yes, there’s that “selfish” part.

WHY DO I KEEP HARPING ON THIS?: See above. It’s that simple. For $100 each calendar year you can do your part. I’d love to live in a world where I don’t feel the need to write these kinds of posts—it takes away from and further delays getting the goods out to the community—and its just a natural reflex to subscribe without giving it a second thought.

If you do value this, I need your help to get others on board in addition to your much-appreciated subscription.

THERE’S MORE!: Don’t forget that there are year-round advertising opportunities, in addition to the graduation ads. Get yours ASAP! Email me at toddsliss@gmail.com.

Anyway, hoping to drop the next issue tomorrow, but it might be Thursday unfortunately. I did get all caught up, but I am one person doing all the jobs and it’s a busy time of year personally and professionally. Now it’s also graduation season that I will be focusing on. Either way, everything will get covered in due time, so I do thank my paid subscribers for their patience as I think I am currently juggling about 20 stories beyond the issue I am trying to finish up.

Happy reading will have to wait until my next post :)

— todd