The Falmouth Enterprise, Inquirer and Mirror and The New Haven Independent are just a few examples of publications with loyal local readers and successful financial models in the current media landscape. The right combination of print, digital and circulation revenue help support platforms that provide valuable news coverage at the community level.
“People will support local journalism that’s high quality,” said Bass. “I think we’re seeing the beginnings of the rebirth of local journalism.”
Newspapers reach an engaged audience of readers who respond to a variety of types of insurance products including dental, Medicare supplement & advantage products, pet insurance and more. Local newspapers provide a trusted platform to showcase different types of offerings.
*Source: Coda Ventures Newspaper Ad Effectiveness Service
Along the way we’ve worked with many associations who have helped provide valuable resources to news organizations and others in the publishing industry. Here’s a recently updated list of groups that we think support journalists, publishers, advertising staff and others involved in the media in an outstanding way:
National & Regional Resources
The News Media Alliance – Serves more than 2,000 members of news organizations across the US; formerly known as the Newspaper Association of America.
Local Media Association – Serves more than 3,000 local media companies across the US including newspapers, tv, radio and more.
American Press Institute – This institute conducts research, provides training and creates valuable tools for journalists
AFCP/IFPA – (Association of Free Community Publications & Independent Free Papers of America) – Joining forces, this group looks to support all members of the free community newspaper industry.
National Newspaper Association – The mission of the NNA is to protect, promote and enhance America’s community newspapers.
Poynter Institute – “Poynter champions freedom of expression, civil dialogue and compelling journalism that helps citizens participate in healthy democracies.”
Nieman Journalism Lab – “The Nieman Journalism Lab is an attempt to help journalism figure out its future in an Internet age.”
Pew Research Center – “Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world.”
Online News Association – The Online News Association is a nonprofit membership organization for digital journalists — connecting journalism, technology and innovation.
American Media Institute – American Media Institute is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) investigative news service that delivers original reporting to major news outlets across the country.
America’s Newspapers – From its very creation, America’s Newspapers proclaimed that a core mission would be advocacy on behalf of its members, the industry and the free press.
New England Press Association – The professional trade organization for newspapers in the six New England states: Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island, representing 450 newspapers in the region.
Investigative Reporters & Editors Association – IRE was formed to create a forum in which journalists throughout the world could help each other by sharing story ideas, newsgathering techniques and news sources.
Join media/advertising sales expert Ernest F. Oriente, the founder of PowerHour, LLC and Jedd Gould, CEO of MediaBids for a free MediaBids PowerHour on Thursday, January 28 at 1 p.m. Eastern/New York time focused on “Trees Are Obstacles Or Opportunities?”
Details are below for our 286th free educational PowerHour, since 1995.
Here is a short 90-second video to watch, tied to the upcoming teleseminar below:
During this 60-minute MediaBids PowerHour we will discuss the points below plus field your specific questions:
1. A = for your ATTITUDE. What shifts will you and your advertising sales team make/take, going into the new year?
2. A = for your APPROACH. What are the key advertising sales and marketing efforts vital for the first half of 2021?
3. A = for your ACCESS. What is your USP? What sets your ad platform apart from your direct competitors?
4. A = for your ANTICIPATION. Where is the optimism tied to the advertising trends we are tracking with our media clients around the world? Where are the best opportunities?
As prep for #2 above and to continue this discussion with ad sales leaders from around the world, please join our flagship LinkedIn group, Advertising Sales Success—with 4400+ leaders on this url: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2379105/
Registration Information ================= When: Thursday, Jan. 28. Please note, the above MediaBids PowerHour starts at 1:00 p.m. Eastern/New York/Toronto time, which is
12:00 p.m. Central/Dallas/Winnipeg time 11:00 a.m. Mountain/Denver/Calgary time 10:00 a.m. Pacific/San Francisco/Vancouver time 9:00 a.m. Alaska time 6:00 p.m. GMT/London time
Fee: No charge
Recording is available after the MediaBids PowerHour, but you must register below to receive it.
Additionally, the NNA (National Newspaper Association) also provided a summary of tips/resources –
Do not meet in person with sources you do not know.
Be mindful of your surroundings. Some sources say Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) may be used by rioters.
Employ social distancing tactics, as always.
Do not work alone if covering protests.
Obey orders from law enforcement. If legal assistance is needed, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has a hotline for journalists at 1-800-336-4243, or www.rcfp.org.
Be aware of potential use of live ammunition by protesters or police.
Stand back from crowds, where vehicle ramming could be a threat.
Thank you, journalists, for your service during these difficult times. Without your efforts important and unbiased news coverage wouldn’t be possible. Stay safe!
If you’re looking for heart-warming articles and delicious recipes, The Roxton Progress is the publication for you. This Texas publication, published twice monthly, provides local community news coverage with a unique voice. Publishing since 1976, they have a print edition, online edition, popular Facebook page, and readers can even subscribe to breaking-news text alerts.
The current publishers, Kris & Karen Rutherford, provided us with a great description of their paper –
“We are a small Northeast Texas publication in a rural county. Roxton is known as “Hometown U.S.A” to many, and we have subscribers, mostly connected to the area, in 20 states.
We are not a traditional newspaper. The founders of the paper wanted to provide a “good news” paper, and that traditional has been respected for over 40 years. We post breaking news on our Facebook page (over 1,100 likes and followers) and we have debuted a new website that is gaining in popularity — www.theroxtonprogress.com.
We focus on human interest, history and culture, local events, agriculture/rural news of note, school district news (essentially we serve as the district’s school newspaper), items likes recipes and one of our most popular features, The Texas Crossword. With the exception of one columnist, we pay for no content as we have found many people with ties to the area more than willing to write a column for each issue.”
Recipes are one of the most popular features.
Even if you’re not in their local area, we’d encourage you to subscribe to a free 7-day online trial. Their publication is full of thoughtful, interesting, and positive articles that will provide some light in these challenging times.
The Old Town Crier Magazine, based out of Alexandria, VA is a wonderful example of how a local publisher highlights the amazing attributes of the communities they cover, year after year.
Established in 1988 as a lifestyle publication that covers the happenings in Alexandria, the publication expanded its coverage in 1995 to include Anne Arundel, Calvert and St. Mary’s Counties in Maryland, Fauquier, Loudoun, Warrenton and Rappahannock Counties in Virginia and points between including National Harbor.
The Old Town Crier provides unique, exciting, and detailed stories about local businesses, authors, artists, events, entertainment, arts, food and culture. High-quality photography enhances each article, along with an attractive layout.
One feature that we especially like is their inclusion of pets & animals in the stories they share. An entire section on their website is devoted to local pets of the month, animal adoption and other heart-warming topics about furry friends. In the recent print edition, they devote a special article about Halloween safety for pets.
Publishers Lani Gering & Bob Tagert
The Old Town Crier is distributed monthly to over 450 outlets including restaurants, retail establishments, hotels and visitor centers in all of the communities they cover; as well as several residential communities in Alexandria. Currently, their readership is well over 75,000 and growing!
MediaBids is working on a series of short posts spotlighting notable community publications across the U.S. If you’d like to submit your publication for consideration, please email Jessica Greiner – jgreiner@mediabids.com
Flexibility has been an integral part of life this year, and a special group of publications that are offering flexibility to their readers in how they experience their media brand is The Beacon Newspapers.
Stuart Rosenthal, Publisher & his wife Judy Rosenthal, Associate Publisher
The Beacon Newspapers are a group of publications that have been offering readers in the 50+ age range in the Washington D.C., Greater Baltimore Howard County, MD & Richmond Virginia areas thoughtful articles, living tips and helpful resources since 1989. Reaching 400,000+ readers, The Beacon has been an invaluable publication for individuals in their target age group. The group publishes four geo-targeted editions, an annual print Resource Guide, and the Silver Pages online product and service directory.
From an experiential standpoint, The Beacon Newspapers are making an innovative pivot from in-person events to virtual events in an exciting way. In the past, a mainstay event The Beacon spearheaded was the 50+ Expo, a local event that showcased exciting speakers, entertainers and informational exhibits that provided a great way for citizens to learn about local resources in their area, and local businesses to present their offerings in a meaningful way.
This year, in light of Covid-19, rather than cancelling the event, they partnered with other local organizations to bring the 50+ Expo online in a fun and interactive way for folks who’d still like to attend. This year, people interested in attending can visit this link https://beacon50expo.com to view classes, hear speakers, visit exhibitors and enjoy the available entertainment. The 50+ Expo will be available online from November 1, 2020 – January 31, 2021.
MediaBids is working on a series of short posts spotlighting notable community publications across the U.S. If you’d like to submit your publication for consideration, please email Jessica Greiner – jgreiner@mediabids.com
