Since our inception nearly 20 years ago, the North Platte Bulletin has acquired a significant share of the North Platte news media market, garnered a reputation for high-quality journalism and earned community support.
The Bulletin began in the basement of a house on W. Fifth, in one of the original residential sections of North Platte. It soon grew to become one of the largest weekly print papers in Nebraska, with a website that is updated each day.
We take pride in being a truly independent source of news and information. We believe it is important to provide information objectively, so readers can make up their minds. We are long on news and short on opinion. Mixing news with opinions, which has become part of the process in all the broadcast news media, has diluted the value of professionally presented news and information. We don’t go along with it.
Readers tell us our approach and consistency are refreshing.
Background, tradition
The North Platte Bulletin is a part of North Platte’s history. It was a letter to the editor in the Bulletin in 1941 that led area residents to start the famed North Platte Canteen that served more than 6 million servicemen during WWII.
The North Platte Bulletin actually began April 13, 1932 as a tabloid, four-page shopping guide. It was sold to two North Platte newspapermen in 1937 and it became a leading paper in the city in the early 1940s. It was sold to Joe Seacrest, co-publisher of the Lincoln Journal. Seacrest also purchased all the stock in the North Platte Telegraph and combined the two papers into the Telegraph-Bulletin in 1946. The Bulletin name was dropped from the Telegraph nameplate in 1966, but the Telegraph retained ownership of the Bulletin name until 1996. In time, they gave up their rights to the name.
Uniqueness
We revived the North Platte Bulletin April 17, 2003 — 71 years after it was founded and 57 years after it merged with the Telegraph.
When we started, North Platte became been the only Nebraska town outside of Omaha and Lincoln with two competing print newspapers, a situation that is unique across the country.
In addition to our high-quality print edition, our award-winning website www.northplattebulletin.com is one of the most frequently visited in Nebraska.
The print edition of the Bulletin is sold all over Lincoln County and mailed to numerous states nationwide.
The print Bulletin quickly became popular after it was launched, reaching as many as 12,000 readers weekly. People liked the flexibility, heritage, honest news coverage and unbiased reporting. The philosophy has differentiated us from newspapers that dedicate the majority of its news space to non-controversial, impersonal news.
The print edition of the Bulletin has been recognized by our peers for excellence. The Bulletin has earned more than 90 Nebraska Press Association awards in reporting, design and advertising. In 2004, our first year of eligibility, the Nebraska Press Association awarded the Bulletin 23 awards for excellence. In 2005, the Bulletin was recognized the top newspaper in the Class A category of weekly newspapers in the state. We have received NPA awards for hard news reporting, graphic design, agricultural news, advertising and website content.
Website
The website is the most popular and innovative website in central and western Nebraska, consistently receiving nearly millions of page views a month.
On any given day, the Bulletin website contains more than 100 news articles, editorials, sports and agricultural stories and jail bookings.
We’re all about North Platte, Lincoln County and west-central Nebraska. We are not afraid of controversy. We also respect folksiness and self-reliance and helpfulness to those truly in need — integral characteristics of the West.
The Bulletin is known for digging beneath the headlines to bring readers the whole story. While some newspapers seem to publish shorter and shorter stories, the Bulletin puts each story in context. From the beginning, we have sought to be the “choice of smart newspaper readers.”
Respect
The Bulletin was twice featured on the nationally televised CNN’s Newsnight with Aaron Brown — Feb. 18, 2004 and May 12, 2004. We have been featured in the Omaha World Herald, on KNOP-TV in North Platte and NTV in Kearney.
Our news stories and opinions have frequently been republished by other news media as well as civic and government organizations. We have been reprinted in the Congressional Record, in the constituent newsletter of U.S. Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, the Nebraska Television Network, the Cattle Business Weekly, the Omaha World-Herald, the Lincoln Journal-Star, the McCook Daily Gazette, Nebraska Statepaper, the Associated Press, ESPN, Trains magazine, The Nebraska Sheriff’s Association and the nationally syndicated News of the Weird.
Community
The Bulletin is active in sharing creativity, entertainment and arts in the community. We keep abreast of community artists and all kinds of entertainers. We have hosted an Open Mic Nite twice each month since 2005. We were active in the city’s Rail Fest and Country Bluegrass celebrations, always seeking to provide opportunities for emerging musicians and artists.
In 2017, the Bulletin began organizing annual “Music on the Bricks” celebrations, closing off the core downtown streets on a Saturday afternoon and evening in mid-August to motor vehicles, presenting top local musicians to the public, as well as children’s games, food, beer and other refreshments. The all-family street festival has been a monster hit with the public.
Personnel
The Bulletin was launched in April 2003 by Frank Graham, Greg Hood, Laura Johnston, George Lauby and Bob Gambs. At that time, Graham had nearly 30 years of newspaper experience in all phases of production; Johnston had nine years experience, mostly as an editor; and Hood and Lauby together had more than 16 years.
Over the years, Lauby has become the publisher and editor. He now has 25 years of experience in the news business, most of them as an editor. He has earned state awards for news coverage and photographs. He is experienced in all aspects of the business — graphic arts, advertising and business administration.
Our staff consists of Graphic Artist Caitlin Hatcher in design, Layout Manager Martin Owen, Sports Editor James Parrish and Advertising Manager Floydene Dressel. Tray Sorenson and Todd Hatcher are our web developers. Alisha Mayo is our business manager. Pat Palu is our lead proofreader. Joan Cooper is the rock of our circulation efforts. A handful of dedicated corresspondents and volunteers pitch in as needed; we appreciate them more than we can say.
Most of all, we appreciate our readers. We work hard every day to provide them with unbiased news and information.
Archives
Our archives contain a vast amount of information about North Platte, Lincoln County and the state, accumulated in tens of thousands of news reports and photos, based on our knowledge of the area. To look for something in our archives, click on the “Archives” link in any of the navigation bars.
