Earlier this month, the Monitor staff gathered at Litherman’s Limited Brewing Company for our first-ever Publisher’s Crawl, hosted in partnership with the Granite State News Collaborative. Over three dozen community members joined us for the evening.
We split into small groups and sat around tables, sipping beer and talking about how we consume information. My table chatted about the instant-gratification culture of social media and the internet compared to the consistency of a daily printed newspaper. We weighed the pros of having everything available at our fingertips — information and misinformation alike — and discussed the value of a trusted local news source. Other tables unpacked questions such as where we find story ideas or how we maintain objectivity or what challenges we encounter while reporting a story.
Then, we asked our attendees what they wanted to see from us. “Keep up the good work!” was a lovely reply. Besides that, we heard from readers who want to see the arts represented as equally as sports are within the Monitor’s pages. Others wanted to see us write more about history, especially about the nation’s 250th birthday. One asked us to write shorter stories. Most said they wanted more events like our Publisher’s Crawl to interface with us in a more personal manner.
“We want to drink beer with you again,” they told us.
The Granite State News Collaborative, which comprises over 20 media partners across New Hampshire, collected data from the conversations. We at the Monitor will use this information to grow our coverage in new directions and continue adapting to an ever-shifting news landscape.
Thank you to Litherman’s for being such a gracious host with top-notch beverages and to the Granite State News Collaborative for continuing to help local news thrive.
It was a wonderful chance to get to know the community better and, for those who read the Monitor regularly, to demystify the people behind the bylines. We hope to create many more such occasions in the near future.
Until then, we invite you to send us an email or a news tip at news@cmonitor.com or give our newsroom a call if you have something you’d like to share. Our editor, Jonathan Van Fleet, enjoys greeting readers over the phone, so if you dial our newsroom number, 603-369-3320, you’ll get to chat with him.
Monitor reporter Emilia Wisniewski leads a small group discussion with members of the public during the Publisher’s Crawl at Lithermans Limited Brewing Company on June 9, 2026 in Concord. Credit: ALEX MILLER / For the Monitor 
Members of the public participate in a small group discussion during the Publisher’s Crawl at Lithermans Limited Brewing Company on June 9, 2026 in Concord. Credit: ALEX MILLER / For the Monitor 
Members of the public speak with Monitor reporter David Brooks during the Publisher’s Crawl at Lithermans Limited Brewing Company on June 9, 2026 in Concord. Credit: ALEX MILLER / For the Monitor 
A poster for the Granite State News Collaborative is hung on the wall of Lithermans Limited Brewing Company during the Publisher’s Crawl on June 9, 2026 in Concord. Credit: ALEX MILLER / For the Monitor 
Members of the public gather during the Publisher’s Crawl at Lithermans Limited Brewing Company on June 9, 2026 in Concord. Credit: ALEX MILLER / For the Monitor 
Rachel Wachman, the Community Editor at the Concord Monitor, speaks with a member of the public during the Publisher’s Crawl at Lithermans Limited Brewing Company on June 9, 2026 in Concord. Credit: ALEX MILLER / For the Monitor 
James Kelly reads a piece of paper on the table during the Publisher’s Crawl at Lithermans Limited Brewing Company on June 9, 2026 in Concord. Credit: ALEX MILLER / For the Monitor 
Members of the public listen to the opening remarks of the Publisher’s Crawl at Lithermans Limited Brewing Company on June 9, 2026 in Concord. Credit: ALEX MILLER / For the Monitor 
Steve Leone, the Publisher of the Concord Monitor, speaks during the Publisher’s Crawl at Lithermans Limited Brewing Company on June 9, 2026 in Concord. Credit: ALEX MILLER / For the Monitor
