> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://bsquarebulletin.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Editor’s Notebook: Getting The B Square unstuck from the ‘dangerous middle’ - URL: https://bsquarebulletin.com/editors-notebook-getting-the-b-square-unstuck-from-the-dangerous-middle/ - Published: 2026-10-04T11:23:38.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-04T11:23:38.000Z - Description: A Syracuse University study finds independent local publishers can get stuck in a “dangerous middle”: established enough that readers depend on them, but without the revenue to spread the work. The B Square fits that pattern, and is asking readers to help build a sustainable future. - Author: Dave Askins - Tags: Editor's Notes, #no-inline-feature [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/20/6f/206f9007-c0a7-47d4-b87b-686c21961f22/content/images/2026/10/hard-reality-syracuse--1.png)](https://idjc.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/A-Hard-Reality-Full-Report.pdf) A new [report](https://idjc.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/A-Hard-Reality-Full-Report.pdf ) from Syracuse University describes a trap that many independent local news outlets fall into. The researchers describe it as a “dangerous middle.” Here’s the trap: A founder builds a publication into something substantial enough so that readers rely on it, without yet building enough revenue to spread the regular workload across more than one person. The publication survives, but only as long as that one person can carry it. The B Square Bulletin fits that description. The report, [A Hard Reality: Independent Local Journalism in the United States](https://idjc.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/A-Hard-Reality-Full-Report.pdf ), surveyed 112 independent local news operators in 37 states and Washington, D.C. The B Square was one of them. I filled out the survey and was one of the publishers interviewed afterward. The researchers found the greatest stress was among publishers with 100 to 500 paying subscribers. In that group, 77.3% cited sustainability as a challenge. The B Square has nearly 600 recurring contributors, so that study result lands pretty close to home. ### Total News: A different kind of outlet There’s a label I like to use to describe The B Square’s approach to reporting: It’s called [Total News](https://bsquarebulletin.com/about-the-b-square-bulletin/#TotalNews). That means treating the present, future and past as vital parts of the news operation. If you have ever wondered why The B Square’s reporting feels different, part of the answer might be that it is buttressed by a [collection of timelines](https://thebloomingtonchronicle.org/index.php/Monroe%5FCounty%5FJail), and [public documents](https://bsquarebulletin.com/bloomington-police-identify-suspect-in-sept-6-kirkwood-shooting-warrant-issued/), that let readers check the reporting against the underlying record. That’s not the only way The B Square is unusual. Just 6.3% of publishers in the Syracuse survey rely on subscriptions alone. Most combine subscriptions with advertising, sponsorships, grants, events and other revenue. Up to now, The B Square has relied almost entirely on voluntary contributions from readers. There is no paywall. People who contribute financially get exactly the same information as everyone else on the planet. That’s on purpose. Local news about Bloomington should be available to everyone who lives here, and it’s paid for by the people who value it enough to make that possible. I’m still working to build out the corporate sponsorship program in the coming months. For now, my request is to individual readers. ### What you’re actually paying for Don’t think about local news in terms of how many articles are available for you to read. Think about it as important work that other human beings do, to make Bloomington an easier place to live. Last week, on air with WFHB news director Kade Young during their fundraising drive, I put it like this: “You’re not paying for a story, you’re not paying for the information, per se. You are paying for a human being to dedicate themselves to the task of gathering the information, gathering the facts, and putting it together into a form that is accessible to you.” For The B Square right now, the human element is one person. If that one person stumbles, grows too weary, or just up and dies, the work will stop. ### Today’s request Those of you who already contribute make it possible for one person to do this work full time. I’m grateful for that. Thank you! But there’s a big difference between surviving and a future that transcends the effort of any single person. If you’ve always meant to contribute, but never got around to it, I hope today is the day you decide to follow through! [**Start a Recurring Contribution**](https://bsquarebulletin.com/#/portal/signup) It’s time to get serious about moving The B Square beyond mere survival and building something that can sustain this work for the long haul. Thanks for considering!