The Hollister Downtown Association (HDA) hosted it’s Quarterly Breakfast at Paine’s Restaurant in Hollister on April 24.
Speakers were representatives of San Benito County news media. Bob Marden, board treasurer with nonprofit news site BenitoLink, and Kollin Kosmicki with website San Benito Live informed members about the two organizations.
Both news websites are online-only and do not print. Marden explained that BenitoLink is a seven-year-old nonprofit news operation which primarily serves the residents of San Benito County. Marden shared the BenitoLink mission and vision statements with the audience:
Mission Statement
- BenitoLink connects San Benito County residents through local news and information, encouraging public dialogue to foster an engaged community.
Vision Statement
- BenitoLink is the trusted source for news and information about San Benito County. As a community supported organization, BenitoLink is the voice for all county residents.
Marden explained that BenitoLink is a unique news model designed specifically for San Benito County. The nonprofit was created in 2012 to fill a media void and is committed to regular, dependable local government reporting. He said the BenitoLink board and staff have a strong interest in in-depth and investigative reporting with a coverage area encompassing the entire county.
Today, BenitoLink has a full-time staff of three: Executive Director Leslie David, Content Manager Nicholas Preciado, and Marketing and Social Media Manager Laura Romero. Approximately 10 additional freelance reporters, editors and photographers are paid to provide stable and consistent coverage of local government, education, health, transportation and other topics.
Marden referred to the statement that “BenitoLink is the voice for all county residents,” reminding guests that anyone is welcome to produce content that can be published on the website. BenitoLink publishes daily and Marden explained that the site is interested in hearing from any community member who has concerns, interests and events to share.
HDA members asked questions and Executive Director Leslie David joined Marden at the podium to explain how the site is supported. She said the term “nonprofit news provider” sometimes confuses people. She pointed to larger, well-known nonprofit news providers like PBS’s (Public Broadcasting Service’s) KQED in San Francisco and National Public Radio (NPR), which are also community supported. She said BenitoLink is local and smaller scale, but depends on public support, sponsorships and grants in the same way. She told guests that as a nonprofit, BenitoLink doesn’t have an owner, but instead “is really owned by the community. It’s owned by you.”
Marden closed out his presentation and said BenitoLink Sustaining Members are important because together they can build a strong local, nonprofit news operation. He explained that modest monthly donations give stability and regularity, ensuring readers that BenitoLink can thrive.
Kollin Kosmicki, owner and editor of San Benito Live, also gave a presentation and told guests that his goal is to provide “lots of variety” on his site. He pointed to crime and business stories as being two areas readers show strong interest in, and said he plans to continue offering them.
Kosmicki said one thing that makes his business unique is his ability to direct, film and edit videos for local businesses and nonprofits. He explained that he believes video is the direction that people’s news habits are going.
“Young people are more interested in that,” Kosmicki told the group. He said he had a personal interest in positive storytelling and his business model includes producing videos from 15 seconds to several minutes in length.
Hollister Downtown Association Executive Director Jeana Arnold thanked both local news providers for their services and for coming to the HDA Quarterly Breakfast.
Contact BenitoLink Executive Director Leslie David at (831) 801-1356 or lesliedavid@benitolink.com for information on sustaining memberships, individual and corporate donations, and sponsored ads for local businesses. For news tips, story ideas, opinion articles or events, contact Content Manager Nicholas Preciado at nicholaspreciado@benitolink.com.
To learn more about San Benito Live, contact Kollin Kosmicki at kosmicki@sanbenitolive.com.
Individuals can contact the Hollister Downtown Association to take part in the Quarterly Breakfast and hear from local businesses and nonprofits about local issues and activities. The HDA is a Main Street America Accredited Program through the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The nonprofit organization has four standing committees: Organization, Promotion, Design, and Economic Vitality. Each of these committees meets monthly and has board members, community partners, and community volunteers among its members.
To learn more about the HDA, contact Jeana Arnold at the Hollister Downtown Association at info@downtownhollister.org.
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