Merrimack Valley Today Launches This Tuesday!

Dear Readers,

When I conceived of Merrimack Valley Magazine 15 years ago, I didn’t know if anyone in the region wanted or needed the publication I envisioned. My long commutes to Boston to sell ads for other people’s family-owned media companies had lost their appeal. It was time to do something new, local and more fulfilling. So I launched MVM on a hunch and a prayer. 

Twenty years earlier, I emigrated to the Merrimack Valley from New York to be with a girl (still with her). At the time, the MV felt like somewhere I might vacation as a kid. The idea that I could live in such a place amazed me. A trip to NYC reminds of this still, even though the Merrimack Valley is no longer a region of sleepy burghs where there isn’t any traffic, ever, and most restaurants close at 8 p.m. 

Today there’s a lot more people, a lot more traffic, and a lot more to offer. It’s also a genuinely great place to live with terrific restaurants, a lively arts and entertainment scene and outdoor recreational activities minutes from our front doors. 

However, something is missing.

We no longer have a robust local news media, owned by local people who genuinely care about the communities in which they live and work. The globalization of everything has led to an impoverished local news scene, one dominated by non-local owners who maximize revenue while providing minimal content. Too much important news goes unreported. What we get instead is social media posts of questionable accuracy from global news platforms purporting to be local, often produced by unskilled writers of dubious credibility, or worse.  

On Tuesday, September 7, 2021, we will launch Merrimack Valley Today, a daily email newsletter that will give our region a new source of local news. A quick summary of the day’s headlines, with links to stories that offer a deeper dive, Merrimack Valley Today will replace our current newsletters, Noteworthy, Wellness Wednesday and Eight Great Things to do This Weekend, and if you are a current subscriber, you’re automatically signed up. If not, sign up here. 

Unlike 15 years ago, I have no doubt that our region wants and needs this new source of local news. We hope you agree, and will share it with your friends, family and co-workers. You’ll earn rewards for sharing it, too, so check it out on Tuesday for the details. 

Glenn Prezzano
Founder & Publisher