There are two sides to every story.
In Maine, the story that will change our state to its core is the unalterable demographic shift ahead. In the coming years, Maine is poised to become older and homogenous — or grayer and whiter, in other words — as the baby boomers enter their golden years.
This trend has tended to be described in grim terms, such as “demographic winter,” and is said to foreshadow cataclysmic effects for Maine’s workforce, economy and culture, particularly in northern and eastern counties, which will feel them most acutely.
There is another side to the story, though. What opportunities exist within these trends? How should Maine adapt to take advantage of generational shifts? These questions are the mission of a new BDN section launching in October. We call it Next.
The idea of Next is simple. The changes coming to Maine are creating a ripple effect of opportunities, challenges and issues for this vast generation, among them health care, retirement, parenting, housing and everything under the umbrella term of “aging.”
But this generation is also established and invested in Maine and its communities. It carries with it the social capital necessary to change our cities and towns, invest and support crucial local institutions and deeply influence public policies and elections.
In short, there’s no shortage of things this Next generation can do.
The person who will explore these trends and tell these stories is Meg Haskell, a former health editor for the BDN, nurse and Maine Journalist of the Year. She is also a member of this Next generation. It’s a thrill to have her presence again in the newsroom to lead this effort.
“Next is about people in their mid-50s through mid-70s, the first wave of aging baby boomers sometimes referred to as ‘the young old,’” Haskell says. “These are folks whose children are grown, who are retired or looking toward retirement, whose lives have a bit more wiggle room to allow for volunteering, making new friends, serving their local communities, traveling, exploring new hobbies, considering a job change or relocation.
“Next will show these readers how others like them are managing these challenges and changes.”
Meg is writing regularly about Next issues on her blog, Living it Forward, and has invited readers to “like” the BDN Facebook page for Next. On Saturday, Oct. 10, the Next section of the newspaper will make its first appearance.
Much like how the Next generation is rippling across Maine, the introduction of Next in the BDN means certain sections also are evolving.
Outdoors, seen in the BDN on Thursdays and Saturdays, is moving to a single, expanded section on Fridays. Whether planning a weekend hike or getting ready to hunt, writers John Holyoke and Aislinn Sarnacki will continue to show the best of what Maine’s wilderness has to offer.
Arts & Culture, appearing Fridays, is moving back one day to Thursdays, with an emphasis on helping readers plan their weekends by highlighting can’t-miss events across the state.
Senior Features Editor Sarah Walker Caron will oversee these efforts, as well as our popular Homestead section on Mondays and Food section on Wednesdays.
Also on Tuesday, the BDN will launch a more prominent Business section with the latest on Maine’s business scene. Columnist Deb Neuman will appear here, alongside features to help protect readers from deals too good to be true.
These new selections will start Tuesday, Oct. 6.
Maine is changing, and the BDN is changing with it. As always, if there are questions or suggestions about how we can do our job better, please don’t hesitate to let me know. My email address is aronzio@bangordailynews.com, or give me a call at 990-8177.
Thanks so much for reading the BDN.