Misawa base news goes online

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Timothy Carney
  • 35th Fighter Wing Command Post
As the end of 2006 rapidly approaches, a significant chapter in the history of the Northern Light closes with this issue as it heralds its transition from newsprint to a cyber-space news source.

"This transition is in line with Air Force Smart Operations-21," said Brig. Gen. Sam Angelella, 35th Fighter Wing commander. "Going to a Web-based information-delivery system provides our readers with real-time information. Additionally, deployed servicemembers and personnel on leave will have greater access to home-station news.

"The base's online news service allows public affairs to be far more proactive when providing late-breaking information to the base audiences and to remain relevant in this age of instantaneous news services," the general said.

And with the paper-version becoming a thing of the past, it is only fitting we look back at its beginning before we move forward into the future.

Since its humble beginnings in 1948, the Northern Light has chronicled base, Air Force and world history.

Volume 1, edition one, of the base newspaper that had not been named yet was published June 12, 1948. It consisted of a single sheet of paper with a total of nine news pieces typed on both sides. These nine pieces mainly consisted of base announcements and what movies were playing at the Richard Bong base theater. Edition two announced the contest that would decide the name of the new newspaper.

From a nine-article sheet of paper to the sophisticated cyber-domain it will occupy starting Jan. 8 at www.misawa.af.mil, the Northern Light, now Misawa Air Base News, remains a mainstay of news and information to the Airmen of the 21st century.

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