The saying goes, when you are given lemons, make lemonade. Well, the local traditional newspapers are getting more and more sour all the time. Every month more newspapers disappear. Those that are still alive, realize that they must have an online presence.

Just because the newspapers are folding does not mean that people no longer want to read local news about their community. It just means that the papers cannot survive, because they are losing their advertising money. Readers still want to wake up and read about the local crimes, weddings, news and obituaries. They’ll soon be getting used to doing it online or with their e-reader.

If you are a writer or have the ability of bringing together a team of writers and marketing people, you can start an online newspaper for your hometown. Then, expand into the next town, and the next, just like the print papers did.

You can begin with a blog and either charge a subscription price or get paid advertisements. They will be easier to get than offline, and you do not have to raise as much, since you overhead will be much lower. Then make sure that the most important beats are covered and that you give people a chance to send in an editorial. For very little money, you can build up a sizable online business.