Rural Missouri - January 2023 - 31

RURAL
CELEBRATING OUR
JANUARY 2023 | ruralmissouri.coop
as more and more people move to rural areas. Today circulation
is a whopping 580,000-plus and growing.
Rural Missouri would remain essentially a black-andwhite
tabloid until the new millennium when digital cameras
became a reality. The first Nikon D1 used by the staff
paid for itself by cutting out the cost of film, processing
and color separations. Soon the entire magazine sported
full-color images. The darkroom was shut down and
turned into office space.
By October 2010 readers could access Rural Missouri
online through a new digital magazine. This effort included
the first " Online Extras, " video content that could be
accessed directly from the digital pages. Along with the
digital content came social media posts on Facebook, Instagram,
Pinterest and YouTube.
In the fall of 2019, the staff was working on a brandnew
look for an old friend. It debuted with the January
2020 edition, which appeared as a magazine-size glossy
publication for the first time.
Barely had the ink dried on the new design when the
staff was forced to work remotely due to the COVID-19
pandemic. Before shutting the office down, production
moved to the cloud and all editing was done not with the
red pens and paper proofs of the past but instead online
through shared PDFs. Today, Rural Missouri goes from
concept to the presses entirely digital.
No longer is there a need to educate members on
how to use electricity. Today we have turned our efforts
toward helping rural people succeed. Early in its history
our editors learned the true value of a story that reaches
hundreds of thousands of people with a readership that
tops 90%. We've seen restaurants featured in our pages so
swamped with business that they ran out of food midday.
Businesses that once closed in the winter months not only
stayed open after being featured, they added staff. Homebased
businesses moved to larger storefronts after Rural
Missouri readers beat a path to their doors.
It's not easy earning a living in rural areas. So it's a
great feeling to know we can help. It feels even better hearing
so many readers tell us " I love that little magazine. "
Over the years we've soared high above the earth in
the nose of a B-25 bomber and hauled our cameras into
caves deep underground. We've floated the state's rivers -
including those in the north - and introduced new trends
including the internet and microwave ovens. We've told
the stories of sports legends and high school athletes who
didn't let what others would call disabilities stand in their
path to success.
Our mission is to root for the underdog and do our best
to make rural Missouri a better place in which to live.
On behalf of everyone who was part of our 75-year history,
we say thanks to all of you who welcomed us into
your homes and let us share your stories. We hope you will
continue to enjoy our efforts for many years to come.
We will leave you with this excerpt taken from the 25th
anniversary edition that was published in November 1973:
From left: Lisa Martin, left, and Ruth Graves helped design the local cooperative pages that have always been an important part of the publication.
Bob McEowen shares his photojournalism wisdom with newcomer Jarrett Medlin, a former intern who was later hired as field editor and is now
editor of St. Louis Magazine. Editorial Assistant Jammie Berendzen dons the Buddy Bear mascot costume for an appearance at the Missouri State Fair.
Angie Jones-Wheeler designs Rural Missouri pages and preps the local pages for printing.
JANUARY 2023 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP 31

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Rural Missouri - January 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - January 2023