Shawnee Mission Post — often referred to simply as “the Post” — is a local digital news outlet dedicated exclusively to covering northern Johnson County, Kansas.
Unlike large metropolitan newspapers, Shawnee Mission Post focuses on hyper-local coverage: municipal government, school districts, community events, business openings/closings, local politics, and stories relevant to the towns within the “Shawnee Mission” postal area.
Because “Shawnee Mission” itself is not a city but a postal-area designation that covers about 16 towns and cities in northern Johnson County, the Post serves a broad but cohesive community.
Origins & Founding Story
The Post was founded in 2010 by a couple, Jay Senter and Julia Westhoff, who returned to their home area after serving in the Peace Corps. They felt there was a significant lack of detailed, consistent media coverage of local government and school issues in their community.
Originally launched as “Prairie Village Post,” the publication soon expanded its scope to cover a wider region — and adopted the name “Shawnee Mission Post.”
What began as a modest community-focused website gradually grew. By 2014 the Post was seeing tens of thousands of unique visitors each month.
What Kind of Content & Coverage They Provide
Shawnee Mission Post emphasizes a range of local-relevant journalism:
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City and municipal government news — city council meetings, development proposals, local ordinances, infrastructure projects, zoning decisions, etc.
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School-district coverage — reporting on matters of the Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD), board decisions, education policy, funding, community issues linked to schools.
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Local business & economy reporting — tracking business openings and closings, economic trends, community commerce news.
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Community features & events — cultural events, public-art projects, local history, community-driven initiatives.
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Public safety and civic incidents — local police news, emergencies, city services, local development issues — matters that directly affect residents.
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Because of this hyper-local focus, the Post often covers stories that are rarely addressed in regional or national media — making it a vital source for community members seeking relevant, up-close news and updates.
Business Model & Financial Sustainability
One of the most important aspects of the Shawnee Mission Post story is how it found a path to sustainability — a rarity in modern local journalism.
In 2017, the Post introduced a paid subscription paywall, with the mission to provide in-depth civic journalism rather than the typical “breaking news” emphasis. According to founders, this shift was essential — they were at a crossroads: adapt or shut down.
The tagline for their strategy became something like: “More civics. Fewer restaurants.” — signaling a shift from lightweight local content (e.g. social-scene reports, events) toward serious community-impact reporting.
The paywall model proved successful: within months they reached milestones such as 1,000+ subscribers. As of the latest publicly shared data, the Post had roughly 2,700 paying subscribers.
Because of this reader-supported revenue, the Post scales back reliance on advertising — enabling it to focus on journalism rather than clickbait.
This approach has made Shawnee Mission Post a model for how local journalism can survive — and thrive — in a time when many local newspapers are closing or consolidating.
Impact & Role in Community Journalism
In recent decades, suburban and exurban areas — like those of northern Johnson County — have often seen steep declines in local news coverage. Traditional media has cut back or shuttered local bureaus, leaving residents with limited sources for timely and relevant civic news.
Shawnee Mission Post fills that gap. By focusing on hyper-local news — municipal decisions, school district issues, community planning, local events — it gives residents information they otherwise might never receive. This helps foster civic engagement and more informed communities.
Moreover, because the outlet is independent and reader-supported, it’s not beholden to big corporate media directives or distant regional ownership; its loyalties are local and transparent.
Journalism experts have recognized Shawnee Mission Post as an example of how community news can adapt for the digital era while maintaining quality and public value.
Challenges & The Realities of Local News in 2025
Despite its success, the Post faces many of the same pressures confronting small publishers everywhere. Some of these include:
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Maintaining subscriber growth and retention — Paywalls require ongoing perceived value; attracting new readers and convincing them to pay isn’t easy.
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Resource limitations — As a small team, balancing breadth (wide coverage across many towns) and depth (detailed investigative work) is a constant challenge.
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Advertising pressures — With fewer display ads, revenue depends significantly on local institutional advertisers (e.g. banks, public agencies) willing to pay for exposure to a local audience.
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Community trust & competition — As news consumption habits evolve, and as social media and aggregated news become widespread, keeping relevance and credibility requires consistent, high-quality journalism.
Still, the fact that the Post has endured — and even considered cutting ad-load to improve user experience — suggests their model may be sustainable for others to emulate
Legacy & Evolution — Toward Broader Coverage
Interestingly, the success of Shawnee Mission Post helped spawn related initiatives. In 2021 a sister publication, Blue Valley Post, was launched to focus on the Blue Valley region of southeast Johnson County, sharing staff and ownership under a common publisher.
More recently (2024), the two publications merged into a single broader outlet under the name Johnson County Post — effectively expanding their reach while preserving the same local-focus ethos.
This evolution suggests not just survival, but growth: local journalism can scale when rooted in community needs and supported by readers — even in a challenging media climate.
Why Shawnee Mission Post Matters in 2025
Amid widespread closures of regional newspapers and consolidation of media under large corporate owners, the story of Shawnee Mission Post stands out as a hopeful example. It shows that:
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Local journalism can survive — and even flourish — with a lean, dedicated team.
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A paywall + civic-focus model can work, when content aligns with what people genuinely care about: community, governance, schools, their own backyard.
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Residents value trustworthy, local reporting — even if that means paying.
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Independent media doesn’t need corporate backing to serve public interest.
For the towns inside the Shawnee Mission postal area, the Post offers a lifeline to civic connection, transparency, and community awareness — serving as a glue that binds a geographically diverse set of municipalities.
Final Thoughts
Shawnee Mission Post is more than just a website posting local news. It is a community institution — born out of necessity, sustained by local support, and shaped by the people it serves.
In a time when many communities are losing access to meaningful local journalism, the Post proves that with commitment, clarity of mission, and community trust, hyper-local news can survive and even thrive.
As the Johnson County Post moves forward, its legacy will likely influence how suburban and exurban communities across America envision and rebuild their local news ecosystems.
