The closing of The Cortland Standard, which had been around for almost 155 years, marked a major change for the community and for the people who worked there. As one of the last remaining independent newspapers in New York, its shutdown left a big gap in local news coverage — and a lot of questions about what comes next.
Todd McAdam worked at the paper for nearly a decade. He started as an associate editor in 2015 and became managing editor in 2017.
“As managing editor, I was responsible for all news operations,” McAdam said “That means helping keep the whole community informed, about 75,000 people in the Cortland area. It’s a huge responsibility. It can be overwhelming. It tends to take over your life.”
The news of the shutdown didn’t come as a total shock.
“The publisher told me about an hour before the rest of the team,” McAdam said. “It was a long time coming, so I wasn’t surprised. But we still had one more edition to publish. I had to help the reporters and editors finish it. They needed support. I didn’t have time to think about how I felt.”
After the closure, McAdam said he did his best to help the rest of the employees with the abrupt closing.
“Tried to help my staff through the emotions and job hunt process myself,” McAdam said.
The Cortland Standard had been the main source for local news about local schools, events, government and sports. The company that used to print the paper, Sample News Group, bought its assets during bankruptcy. They plan to relaunch the Cortland Standard around May 17.
“The real question is whether the new version will publish the kind of information that really helps people make decisions about their lives,” McAdam said, “It could also just focus on lighter content that’s more appealing but less useful.”
This kind of story isn’t unique to Cortland. Across the country, local newspapers are disappearing fast. A 2023 study from Northwestern University found that over 2,500 newspapers have shut down since 2005. On average, two more close every week. When that happens, people often lose access to reliable news and have a harder time staying involved in their communities.
The absence of the Cortland Standard leaves a gap. Without it, stories about town meetings, local sports and other events might go unreported. That can make it harder for people to stay informed or hold local leaders accountable.
As for McAdam’s future, the former managing editor is exploring different paths.
“I’ve been sending out resumes, both in journalism and outside of it,” McAdam said. “I’m also considering whether to resume work on a long-planned novel, perhaps a cookbook.”
Despite the papers closure, he still believes in the importance of local journalism. Some small-town newspapers were protected from the rapid changes affecting the media industry, that was never really the case. Smaller publications often lack the resources to adapt, making them especially vulnerable to financial and technological challenges.
Working at the Cortland Standard left a strong impression on McAdam.
“Of course it had an impact. Any job you do for almost 10 years will affect you,” McAdam said. “My career as a journalist has meant taking on responsibility for informing people to as high a standard as I could reach.”