As Watchmen Daily Journal looked back on its 13 years of storytelling, this milestone is not just a celebration of our past but also a look into our future.
We reflect on a journey that began with a simple vision: To inform, engage and commit to telling stories from Negros.
Watchmen Daily Journal was born in 2011 — when former publisher and general manager David Dan Elijah Fajardo dreamt of having another local newspaper in Negros.
He followed his strong instinct and “crossed the proverbial Rubicon River,” similar to the modern phrase “passing the point of no return.”
He gambled what little he had left to establish the community newspaper.
In its early years, it was published weekly to thrice weekly.
The early days were marked by challenges, from limited resources to establishing our voice in a crowded media landscape.
The community paper’s daily run was not a walk in the park. There were times that it also encountered its ups and downs.
Two years later, Fajardo had another ambitious idea of competing Watchmen Daily Journal with the giants — the established ones.
However, his idea didn’t happen overnight and without costs.
But with the right vision, right people and right synergy, Watchmen Daily Journal slowly established its brand with “Fair Without Fear” journalism, serving Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.
Since then, the community paper has already established its own identity in the community, as it continues to be the beacon of truth and in uniting Negros Island to progress.
In early 2020, the newspaper rebranded itself as Watchmen Negros Daily Journal, but still carrying the “Fair Without Fear” slogan.
But when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in the same year, the newspaper did brave the storm and made a comeback after more than a month of pandemic hiatus, while many local and national papers had seized operations.
Several months later, Panay News Incorporated took over the management of Watchmen Daily Journal, proof that the print is here to stay in an era where people mostly rely on information from social media.
Watchmen Daily Journal has expanded on the digital media, updating the community with the latest news and trends, serving not just Bacolod City and Negros Island but also the world.
With the advent of digital media, part of its leveling up for years to come is to give focus on the platform for a much wider reach, fusing our content with favorable trends.
Watchmen Daily Journal would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our readers, subscribers, advertisers, dealers, and other people who supported us through the years.
A million thanks!
Our journey from our roots to our future has been a remarkable one, defined by growth, resilience and an unwavering commitment to storytelling.
Here’s to the stories we’ve told and the many more we’ll share in the years ahead./WDJ