While many newspapers have announced reduced print frequency or other cutbacks, expansions are being implemented in cities like Greenville and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Denver, Colorado. What’s making these market expansions possible and what’s the future for these operations?
On the opening day of next month's PIVOT 2020 virtual conference, America's Newspapers will hear from two publishers who are leading efforts to expand into new markets.
PJ Browning, publisher of The Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina, will talk about the paper's bold move into the Greenville and Myrtle Beach communities. The paper has hired editors and reporters for its news operations in those communities during a time when many other newspapers are scaling back.
“Our newspaper’s mission has always been to build and become part of the fabric of the communities we serve,” said Browning. “Our expansion will provide relevant, award-winning content that is engaging and impactful with a fresh, eager approach.”
Chris Reen, who is publisher of both The Colorado Springs Gazette and The Denver Gazette, will talk about what made the launch of the new Denver paper possible ... and what the future looks like for the new interactive paper. With the Monday, Sept. 14, introduction of The Denver Gazette, the city has become a two-newspaper town again.
"Quality local journalism is the foundation of our democracy," said Reen. "Now, more than ever Coloradans need trusted, fact-based, balanced and non-agenda driven journalism."
"We know ourselver better when we see more of our own stories daily told," Editor Vince Bzdek wrote in a column in the first edition of the new paper. "We know better where the problems are, how to fix them. We're a better city with more light."
He told readers that the staff hopes this new digital newspaper will restore some of the light and the values of the daily newspapers published in Denver when he was growing up near Congress Park. "Those old values," he said, "will be wedded to new ways of delivering the news now, via a next-generation interactive newspaper, with videos, podcasts, photo galleries, interactive ads and even stories that will read themselves to you aloud."
Read his full column on page 4 of the inaugural edition and view this new voice in Denver. Readers can visit www.denvergazette.com to register to receive the first three months of the Denver Gazette for free. Following their free trial, readers can subscribe for a special introductory rate of $9.99 per month or $99 per year.
Download the full conference agenda (in your time zone): Eastern time, Central time, Mountain time, Pacific time
PIVOT 2020 is a three-day virtual conference set for Oct. 6-8. Attendee registrations for members are priced at just $99; non-member rates are $199. Discounts also are available for multiple attendees from a given newspaper or from multiple papers across newspaper groups.
