Every few months, someone asks me why I’m still in the newspaper industry. The common narrative is, “Aren’t newspapers basically done?”
My response is a resounding NO! Local, community-based newspapers are, and will continue to be, trusted news sources. The digital age has allowed many publications to grow their audience exponentially, while others, including most African American newspapers, maintain a strong print readership.
However, collectively we community-based publications have not done a very good job of telling our story. The dark cloud daily publications have cast over the industry is problematic for journalism as a whole. But no one is talking about why dailies are struggling and why smaller publications are seeing a resurgence in readership and community support.
For decades, daily publications relied heavily on classified advertising to finance a significant portion of their operations. With some classified-ad sections reaching nearly 200 pages in many cities, these daily giants could afford reporters to cover different types of news: home and garden, entertainment, sports and business, as well as publish TV guides and many other sections. Smaller, community-based publications, however, never had that luxury and have always had to do more with less.
When I look at the work my colleagues are doing across the country, their audience metrics should result in increased advertising revenue. While many have held their own during and after the pandemic, however, these publications are still fighting for their fair share of marketing dollars, while at the same time having to defend their relevance in their local communities despite a rich legacy.
For instance, AmsterdamNews.com now has 250,000 average unique monthly visitors. In addition, the N.Y. Amsterdam News boasts over 1 million average monthly social media engagements and 10,000 legacy print and single-copy subscribers.
The Houston Defender raised over $100,000 from readers during the COVID-19 pandemic, money that will support and expand their digital presence and help better serve their community.
The Sacramento Observer expanded its newsroom from three journalists to about fifteen during the pandemic, allowing them to cover news and events in Sacramento in unprecedented ways. The influx of new writers and a solid editorial leadership team paid dividends: The Observer won numerous national awards, including being named the Black Newspaper of the Year by the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). Its publisher, Larry Lee, was recognized as Publisher of the Year by the NNPA, and the Sacramento Business Journal selected him as one of its 25 Most Admired CEOse
These are just a few examples of legacy print publications and the great work that they are doing in their communities. They are staying relevant at a time when many people discount media outlets because they still have the word “newspaper” attached to them. Newspapers are not dead; they are evolving. As trusted news sources for many years, newspapers, especially those serving minority and historically underserved communities, give voice to the voiceless, speak truth to power, and offer a true narrative for news that directly impacts readers’ lives.
When you stop thinking about newspapers as just legacy print publications and realize they are multimedia companies expanding their reach and influence daily, you will see their value not only in our communities but across the country.
So, the next time you look at a legacy print publication, consider what you can do, individually and collectively, to ensure they can continue telling our stories — whether in print or digitally — and amplify the voices that often go unnoticed, ignored, or dismissed.
Chris B. Bennett is CEO and Publisher of The Seattle Medium Newspaper Group and a founding member of Word In Black.
