Everyone likes getting something for free. However, the cost of the free Hays Post may come at the cost of more expensive government. Studies have shown that towns without a good local newspaper have more expensive government (tinyurl.com/y2hncz9w).

Many of you would say that the Hays Daily News is no longer worth subscribing to, especially after GateHouse Media purchased the Hays Daily News in November 2016. As a Hays Daily News subscriber, I wonder why I keep paying for a newspaper that no longer has a local editor/publisher, only comes five days a week instead of six, and is shrinking in other ways.

It’s no surprise that advertisers have abandoned the Hays Daily News too. However, I think the Hays Daily News and Hays Post are in a race to the bottom, where the losers are the citizens of Ellis County and northwest Kansas. We’re left with two local news outlets doing superficial local reporting and relying on news releases and stories picked up from other newspapers.

What we really need is in-depth coverage of local issues and editorials to keep local officials accountable for their actions. Otherwise, Hays will be left like over 1,400 other cities in the U.S. who no longer have a local newspaper. Many will blame GateHouse Media for not investing in quality journalism, but to some degree the fault is ours for not demanding and financially supporting a high-quality local newspaper. It’s not too late.

Helen Hands, Hays