PJ Browning, president and publisher of The Post and Courier in Charleston, was elected president of the South Carolina Press Association at the group's Annual Meeting Saturday at The Marriott in Columbia.

"Newspapers have been trying to play defense for a long time. From classifieds to inserts to our core users migrating to digital, our industry has been in protection mode," says Vince Johnson, publisher of The Item in Sumter, S.C. "Video allows us to play offense."

The Sumter Item has named its first non-family publisher in the newspaper's 123-year history.

William Vincent "Vince" Johnson Jr., former publisher of the Forsyth County News in Cumming, Ga., is the fifth publisher of the locally owned, independent South Carolina newspaper.

Think of this as a manifesto for the future involving your local community newspaper.

Not all communities have dependable, trusted local media these days, and that's a dangerous problem across the country.

Too many people and communities are isolated, creating what are called "news deserts."

Sumter is fortunate in that regard, and we're proud to be part of an institution that has served this area since 1894.

The larger question – given the disruption of media and just about everything else in the world – is how does a local newspaper continue to serve the public, protect democracy, share history, promote advertisers and keep communities together amidst such information overload?

The Sumter Item's new TV book sold out of advertising before its first issue, making Editor and Publisher Jack Osteen a believer in the concept.

"If you don't have it, and you don't already have a good TV product on the weekends, then it's worth doing," Osteen said.

The Sumter (S.C.) Item has published its final Saturday print edition. The paper is now officially printing five days a week, and has a wide range of plans for expanding its growing digital services …

Osteen Publishing Company (Sumter, S.C.) has created the new Iris Digital Agency to help local businesses reinvigorate their digital strategy and meet the growing needs in the tri-county area that the newspaper serves. The agency is helping local merchants leverage their digital products to improve their presence through their website and social media.

Jack Osteen, editor and publisher of The Sumter Item, owned by Osteen Publishing, said that while the newspaper continues to serve as a strong marketing tool for local businesses and services, the newspaper wants to expand its services by serving as a one-stop shop for all its customers' marketing needs.

"We've always been very focused on producing results for our clients," he said. "The launch of Iris Digital ensures we'll be able to extend that tradition with a full suite of digital products that current and future clients really need."

The Sumter Item has introduced a new look that features two nameplates (for vertical and horizontal layout options on the front page), as well as a five-column grid for ads and editorial. In a few weeks, a new look is coming to its website, as well.