12-Year-Old Publisher's Newspaper Thrives in Illinois
by Tom Henderson (Subscribe to Tom Henderson's posts) Jun 22nd 2010 5:15PM

Keith Davis, 12, reporter, is on the case. Credit: Rocky Stuffelbeam, Star Courier

Despite all the talk about the death of print journalism, some newspapers continue to thrive in the 21st century.

One example is the Annawan Times in Illinois, where it helps that the publisher -- also the town's only reporter -- maintains a low overhead. Oh, and he's only 12 years old.

Keith Davis publishes the weekly newspaper for his town of 900 people, located about two hours west of Chicago. The Times doesn't make much money, but Davis tells NBC News in Chicago that he doesn't mind the lack of financial reward. Like most journalists, he's in the business for the love of it rather than money."I keep my ears and eyes open, and if I hear about something going on, I see if it's true," he tells the network. "If there are sirens going off, I try to figure out what it is."

Davis started the Annawan News when he was just 9, and it has since morphed into the Annawan Times, complete with a website and loyal advertisers.

"We don't have a paper in town, and the ones around us don't really cover a lot of local news," he tells NBC News. "I had to start it so we can have that kind of news."

The seventh grader has been recognized by his colleagues by being accepted into the Illinois Press Association.

"Our executive director said that he was doing a really good thing and wanted to make him an honorary member," David Porter, the communication and marketing director for the association, tells NBC News. "He's a great kid. A really great kid."

Davis gets all the accoutrement of membership -- including a press association card and sticker -- without having to pay dues.

"I didn't know if they would make me a member, but when they did, they gave me a bunch of stuff," Davis tells NBC News. "Press cards, notepads, pens, posters -- I didn't think I'd get all that."

Membership in the press association usually requires an examination of the newspaper to ensure the publication meets legal requirements and other criteria, such as content and length. Officials waived those rules for their youngest member.

"We didn't get to the point of examining the paper for qualifications," Porter tells NBC News. "We decided it didn't matter. As long as he's putting out legitimate news products, he should have the same privileges assigned to those credentials. We wanted to welcome him into our organization."

Davis covers a wide range of local beats. However, he's particularly big on the weather. It's hard to do up-to-the-minute weather reporting on a weekly newspaper, but Davis manages.

"I like winter stories," Davis tells NBC News. "My favorite one was about a snowstorm that happened on Christmas Day. It delayed all the holiday travels, and I got to report about it."

Davis' friends sometimes help with the paper. "They help out sometimes, but they don't enjoy it as much as I do," he tells NBC News. "So I do most of it by myself."