This short documentary is a portrait of a tiny town, Lakefield, Ontario, and its independent weekly, the Herald. Across North America, newspapers are dying, but in Lakefield, Terry McQuitty, the town paper’s publisher, carries on a rich, 150-year-old tradition. Set to the pace of small-town life, Unheralded is a testament to the vital role newspapers can still play, and the close bond between reporter and reader.
Ages 15 to 17
History and Citizenship Education - Issues in Society Today
Media Education - Journalism/News
Have students research and discuss the challenges facing traditional printed newspapers in the digital age, as well as the importance of local news coverage. Students should consider their own community or school newspaper and study local news (radio and television) to analyze the types of stories being reported. Topics for further research (for presentations or written work) include: the role of local media in forming (not just informing) local communities and the concentration of media ownership.