Tag: innovation

Profiles in Print – The Beacon Newspapers – Publishing in Washington D.C. & the Surrounding Areas

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.

If you have questions about participating in the 50+ Expo, or would like more information about advertising in any of The Beacon Newspapers’ offerings, please email:  alan@thebeaconnewspapers.com or, you can request print-only ad rates here: https://www.mediabids.com/publication/ad-rates/www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/?pubId=54131

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

5 Companies Innovating in the Print Media Space

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Print media companies are ripe for innovation. In a time where readership is moving online, media brands need to figure out new ways for readers to engage with their content on all platforms. Here’s a few examples of companies doing cool things to keep readers interested in quality journalism.

1.) Blendle  – Blendle is a company that lets consumers read articles in some of the top newspapers and magazines in the US on a pay-per-article basis. No frustrating paywalls, no limitations. Readers can just pay for what they want. It’s currently in its testing phase, but it will be interesting to see how many readers sign up. Currently their site says about 22K readers have signed up – a good sign!

2.) Layar – Layar helps advertisers create interactive experiences in the print media they purchase and create. It enables consumers to interact with print media on their mobile phones – creating an “augmented reality” experience.

3.) Media Math –  Media Math is a technology company that is powering Time Magazine’s programmatic print offering. They help Time create targeted ad programs that reach specific readers offline – customizing the ads readers see by their demographic info and the magazine title they are reading.

4.) Mag Cloud – Mag Cloud makes magazine publishing easy for the small publisher. They let you produce beautiful editions of print magazines along with top-not digital versions as well.

5.) Quad Graphics – This printing company is always on the cutting edge of printing technology, and recently took a big leap into virtual reality by outfitting the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition with printed virtual reality viewers.

Know of a company innovating the print media space that’s not listed above? Let us know in the comments!