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Verified Would Like to Welcome...

La Voz Catolica
Archdioceses of Miami/La Voz Publishing Co.
Miami, FL

La Voz Catolica is a monthly publication serving Hispanics in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe. Published by the Archdiocese of Miami, the newspaper provides news concerning the Catholic Church a the international, national, and local levels. It also highlights contributions made by Hispanics in education, public service, and the family, as well as the accomplishments of faith-motivated community leaders as they strive to build a better society.


Fontana Herald News
Century Group Newspapers
Yucaipa, CA

Century Group Newspapers is a locally owned, independent group of community newspapers dedicated to serving some of Southern California’s most desirable markets in the Inland Empire. Its products are the primary source of local news and advertising in the communities they serve. Fontana Herald News is distributed primarily through a free street rack distribution system.


Highland Community News, The Valley Chronicle, Yucaipa/Calimesa News Mirror,
The Record Gazette
Century Group Newspapers
Yucaipa, CA

Century Group Newspapers also includes four newspapers in the East Valley area , publishing on Thursdays and Fridays and delivered free to most homes in these communities. They also have paid subscribers and sell papers weekly in racks through local stores.

Dallas Voice
Dallas Voice
Dallas, TX

Dallas Voice, founded in 1984, is the premier news source for GLBT Dallas/Fort Worth. The newspaper is distributed free of charge each Friday in Dallas, Tarrant, and Collin counties. Dallas Voice, through its membership in the National Gay Newspaper Guild, has been instrumental in providing the first reliable demographics for the GLBT market to advertisers.

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Going Digital – Challenges and Rewards

For most newspapers adding a digital edition can be a way to increase qualified circulation, reach new readers, speed delivery, reduce distribution costs, and retain subscribers. However, going digital presents both challenges and rewards.

Verified defines a digital edition as a facsimile (both content and advertising) of a print edition and available on the same date as the print edition. A digital edition is a hybrid that bridges the gap between the print and digital worlds. Readers interact with digital differently than the way they interact with print. Embedded links can take a reader directly to an advertiser’s website, and special features allow readers to display the paper however they would like (text only, large-print, etc.).

The Record Journal, a paid daily newspaper in Meriden, Connecticut, started their digital edition about six months ago. According to Dave Paré, Vice President, Circulation, they outsourced the work to Townnews.com. Paré says, “More than anything else, getting set up was the biggest obstacle. But even that process wasn’t that much of a problem.” The Journal hired one new staff member, but that same person now administers their community website as well.

The Mitchell Daily Republic, a paid and free daily in Mitchell, South Dakota, added a digital edition about four years ago and chose to manage it in-house using Olive Software. Jon Louder, Circulation Manager, said they didn’t hire additional staff but trained a current staff member. Louder admits, “The process is more streamlined now, but it took some time to do it.”

The Montrose Daily Press, a paid daily in Montrose, Colorado, added a digital edition to stay in sync with the trends in publishing and to “keep up with the Joneses.” According to Phil Ashley, Circulation Manager, the question wasn’t if they would add a digital edition, but whether it would be paid or free. Montrose also chose to outsource this task.

Despite early rosy predictions by industry leaders, digital editions have not yet been a publishing revolution. Most newspapers think of digital editions as an adjunct to their web operations and a way to squeeze out a few more qualified subscribers. Even the big newspapers haven’t posted significant increases in qualified circulation by adding a digital edition.

Paré says, “The response has been good, but we are only roughly six months into it.” They started with about 160 to 170 subscribers and now it’s down to about 120. To market the digital edition, the Journal promoted it for three months giving the general public access free of charge. At the end of that period, readers had to start paying for access. However, during the promotion, the Journal was able to collect about 9,000 email addresses.

Journal subscribers have access to the paper with username and password each morning. Receiving the paper online is $12.99 per month—a 33% discount off the print price. Subscribers who already receive the print edition get the digital edition free.

Louder says, “To tell the truth, the biggest obstacle was how to price it and how to market it. I had debate after debate about it with the publisher and advertising director.” For the Daily Republic, the goal was not to have a lot of local subscribers but subscribers outside the delivery area. The cost and delays involved in postal delivery were a big consideration.

The Daily Republic charges $7.95 per month, basically half price, and it guarantees that the paper will be delivered to a subscriber’s computer every morning instead of almost a week late by post. At first, Louder only sent letters to outside area subscribers to let them know that the paper was available online and at a discount. However, last year in May, the Daily Republic started promoting the digital edition on their website as well.

Montrose charges $39.95 per year and includes access to the digital edition with all print subscriptions. They also heavily promoted digital editions to postal subscribers when rates went through the roof and service was chronically poor. Ashley uploads the subscriber database every night so new subscribers can get their first digital paper the next morning.

Montrose ran into abuse problems early in the game. People were sharing their username and password with nonsubscribers. To solve this, subscribers can now only log on from a maximum of 3 computers per day. It still doesn’t completely solve the problem, but it limits the abuse.

Ashley also says his staff spends some time troubleshooting technology issues for the digital edition. Certain operating systems have compatibility issues and readers have varying levels of tech savviness.

For papers considering adding a digital edition, Paré advises that you have to know your market and demographics. The Journal didn’t expect to have a huge response because they have a small market. Also, the Journal has an older demographic who don’t go online as much. The younger people are using Journal’s website more often.

Ashley suggests papers shop around before choosing a vendor. Call other papers of the same size and see how they would rate the relationship. Visit other papers’ digital editions and see how they work. How do the pages look? How is the navigation?

For all the papers, adding a digital edition has not been a boon for sales. The paper’s websites have roused much more interest with advertisers. For the sales staff, it hasn’t even been an issue.

If paid digital editions are going to be successful, Ashley says they have to have something extra—not just be a pdf of the paper. If people are going to continue to pay for access, it needs to offer something more than either the print or website can provide.

According to Louder, “No doubt about it, the website was my enemy at first.” He advocated not having too much content online that might undermine print subscriptions. But Louder knows the web is here to stay and websites are a valuable tool, especially if you can figure out a way to convert those people to paid subscribers.

Paré says the community website is much more interactive and has generated a much bigger response. It doesn’t contain all the same content as the print but carries additional news and information that can’t make it into the print edition. In the future, the Journal expects to place more of it’s focus on the website instead of the digital edition.

The Record Journal: www.myrecordjournal.com
The Mitchell Daily Republic: www.mitchellrepublic.com
The Montrose Daily Press: www.montrosepress.com

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Mom's the Word

There's a new trend afoot at newspapers across America. Instead of courting the desirable 18–24 nonreader, there’s new focus of publishers' attention—America's moms.

Studies show that America's moms are the person in charge of 80 percent of all household spending and wield a buying power of $1.6 trillion annually. They also do the bulk of the everyday purchases which are most important to retail advertisers.

Moms have traditionally been newspaper readers. However, mothers are increasingly harder to reach through traditional mass media, such as the daily newspaper and network television. They are no longer a given, and that has made them a more valued demographic.

“Newspapers used to think that marketing to women meant food, fashion, and what to do, all that fluffy stuff," says Craig Rogers, director of marketing for Charleston, South Carolina's Post and Courier, which started focusing on moms and families three years ago. "That's not what moms stay awake over,” says Rogers. Instead, information on school quality, health concerns, college savings, and crime are what they want.

"My kids are much more involved in school and enrichment activities (than I was), and I find myself literally in between those things," observes Laura Gordon, senior vice president for marketing at the Dallas Morning News. "Moms are not in the home and easily reachable. They are much more mobile than they have ever been."

A flood of new niche publications, in print and online, target these mobile mothers. Some newspapers have started websites specifically targeting moms and offering blogs where they can ask for advice about topics ranging from pediatricians to parks. Some newspapers are also offering special subscription prices to families.

Moms use media differently than any other demographic. According to the Parenting Group's 24/7 MomConnection study, newspapers and magazines are a mom’s most trusted source of information, followed by websites, radio, TV and doctor’s offices. The study also found that even while they are doing other tasks, blogs and newspapers get most of mom’s attention. Additionally, the report stated that even the busiest moms chose to relax with magazines.

Events Calendar

Parenting Publications of America Convention
March 1–3, 2007
Double Tree Hotel, Nashville, TN
www.parentingpublications.org

Inland Press Association Weekly Newspaper Conference
March 1–3, 2007
Sheraton Tucson Hotel and Suites, Tucson, AZ
www.inlandpress.org

Retail Conference 2007: Marketing Magazines and Books
March 3–6, 2007
Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, Orlando, FL
www.magazine.org

API Design Seminar: Visual Storytelling for Print and Web
March 5–8, 2007
Sheraton Reston, Reston, VA
www.americanpressinstitute.org

Online Publishers Association OPA '07
March 7–9, 2007
Landmark Hotel, London, England
www.online-publishers.org

International Newspaper Marketing Association Circulation Summit
March 8–9, 2007
The Westgate Hotel, San Diego, CA
www.inma.org

National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation Black Press Week
March 14–16, 2007
Capitol Hill Hotel, Washington, DC
www.nnpa.org

API Interactive Community News: Online and Print
March 19–21, 2007
Sheraton Reston, Reston, VA
www.americanpressinstitute.org

Virginia Press Association News Conference and Annual Meeting
March 23–24, 2007
Richmond Marriott, Richmond, VA
www.vpa.net

Suburban Newspapers of America 2007 Spring Publisher's Conference
March 28–30, 2007
Saddlebrook Resort, Wesley Chapel, FL
www.suburban-news.org

American Society of Newspaper Editors Annual Convention
March 27–30, 2007
JW Marriott Hotel, Washington, DC
www.asne.org

Utah Press Association Winter Convention
March 29–32, 2007
St. George Hilton Garden Inn, St. George, UT
www.utahpress.com

Online Media, Marketing & Advertising Conference & Expo
April 2, 2007
New York, NY
www.mediapost.com

Midwest Circulation Management Association 2007 Marketing Conference
April 11–14, 2007
Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North, Albuquerque, NM
www.medwestcirculation.com

Association of Free Community Papers Annual Conference
April 12–14, 2007
New Orleans, LA
www.afcpconference.com

RE:Think! 2007 ARF Annual Convention and Expo
April 16, 2007
Marriott Marquis, New York, NY
www.thearf.org

API Strategic Leadership: Making Radical Change Happen
April 18–19, 2007
American Press Institute, Reston, VA
www.americanpressinstitute.org

Kansas Press Association 115th Annual Convention
April 19–21, 2007
Capitol Plaza Hotel, Topeka, KS
www.kspress.com

NEXPO 2007
April 21–24, 2007
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
www.nexpo.com

Cal Western Circulation Manager’s Association 88th Sales Conference
April 25–27, 2007
Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, CA
www.cwcma.com

International Newspaper Marketing Association World Conference
April 25–27, 2007
Paris, France
www.inma.org

Louisiana Press Association’s 127th Convention
April 12–14, 2007
JW Marriott, New Orleans, LA
www.lapress.com

Western Publications Association Two-Day Publishing Conference
April 26–27, 2007
Westin Hotel at LA Airport, Los Angeles, CA
www.wpa-online.org

Voz Latina – The 3rd Annual Hispanic Marketing Conference
April 26, 2007
Intercontinental Miami, Miami, FL
www.marketingtohispanics.com

Yellow Pages Association Annual Conference and Exhibition
April 29, 2007
Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV
www.ypassociation.org

If you have an event that you would like to announce, please send your information to e-newsletter@verifiedaudit.com.

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Websites Increasing Local Newspaper Penetration Markedly

According to a special release from The Media Audit, newspapers are increasing their market penetration beyond 60, 70 and even 80 percent with the help of their websites. Ten daily newspapers have achieved a net reach of more than 80 percent. The full report was made available at the Newspaper Association of America Marketing Convention in Las Vegas, January 28–31.

Bob Jordan, president of International Demographics, says, "To improve the net, newspaper(s) are...making impressive gains in attracting viewers to (their websites.) As recently as 2003, just 30 daily newspapers had attracted more than 20 percent of adults in their immediate market to their websites. Our current numbers show 49 dailies have attracted more than 25 percent of adults and 30 dailies have attracted 30 percent or more."

The New Orleans Times-Picayune leads the nation with a net reach in the metropolitan area they service of 87.3 percent.

The other daily newspapers in the top ten and their percent of market penetration are:

• Omaha World-Herald, 84.1%
• Buffalo News, 83.3%
• Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 83.3%
• Louisville Courier-Journal, 82.0%
• Charleston (SC) Post & Courier, 80.7%
• Lexington Herald-Leader, 80.6%
• The State (Columbia, SC) 80.3%
• Peoria Journal Star, 80.2%
• Rochester (NY) Democrat & Chronicle, 80.0%

© 2007 MediaPost Communications

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Demographic Reports Give Publishers a Leg Up

Verified offers a comprehensive yet inexpensive package of Consumer Spending and Demographic reports customizable by ZIP code. Data in these reports is based on data from ESRI Information Systems, one of America’s leading providers of demographic and marketing data. These reports provide a wide variety of data for analysis of your current circulation area or of areas of potential circulation expansion.

Please click here to see sample reports for
Consumer Spending and Basic Demographics).

These reports can demonstrate to your advertisers that your circulation has potential customers for their goods and services and help them identify where their best customers can be found. Give your sales staff a powerful tool to bring in advertisers who can meet the needs of your readers.

Thinking of expanding your delivery area but don’t know if you will be reaching your target audience? These reports will give you a valuable snapshot of the demographics and consumer spending in the area to determine if it meets the criteria of your target audience.

Two 2-page reports are available for $85.00 and can be delivered in just 1–2 business days from the receipt of the order. If you are a current Verified customer, we can use your latest Circulation Analysis by ZIP Code to create the report, or you can email or fax us a custom list of ZIP codes for analysis of areas outside your current circulation area.

To learn more, contact Vanessa Espinoza at (415) 461-6006, ext. 204, or John Lowman at (415) 461-6006, ext. 213.