Al Cross, director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, gave this presentation at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication annual convention in Denver on August 6, 2010.

1. Community newspapers:Healthiest in the trade,but for how long? Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Denver, August 6, 2010

2. MOST U.S. NEWSPAPERS ARE COMMUNITY PAPers DAILY NEWSPAPERS 1,400 COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS by circulation Dailies (about 1,000) with circulations of less than 25,000 1,000 Paid-circulation weekly newspapers (three or fewer times a week) 8,000 TOTAL PAID-CIRCULATION COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS 9,000 Free-circulation weekly newspapers (no one really knows how many there are; no one tallies them any more, but there are estimates . . . )

3. WHAT ABOUT READERSHIP? CIRCULATION OF WEEKLIES AND DAILIES (approximate) Total circulation of paid weeklies 21 million Total circulation of free weeklies 28 million

4. WHAT ABOUT READERSHIP? CIRCULATION OF WEEKLIES AND DAILIES (approximate) Total circulation of paid weeklies 21 million Total circulation of free weeklies 28 million Total circulation of weekly papers 49 million

5. WHAT ABOUT READERSHIP? CIRCULATION OF WEEKLIES AND DAILIES (approximate) Total circulation of paid weeklies 21 million Total circulation of free weeklies 28 million Total circulation of weekly papers 49 million Total circulation of daily papers 49 million (2008 data, Editor & Publisher)

6. Community newspapers are healthier Community newspaper revenue fell an average 12.4 percent during the second quarter of 2009, according to the latest survey by Suburban Newspapers of America and the National Newspaper Association. The group halted its regular quarterly surveys later in the year, because publishers were reluctant to share data during the recession. But the second-quarter figure compared favorably with a 29 percent revenue decline for larger papers, according to NNA data. --Katie Kuehner-Hebert , Portfolio,com, March 1, 2010

7. WHY ARE Community newspapers healthier?

8. WHY ARE Community newspapers healthier? They have a strong local news franchise, serving communities that are usually not covered well by other news outlets

9. WHY ARE Community newspapers healthier? They have a strong local news franchise, serving communities that are usually not covered well by other news outlets Their classified-ad revenue is less important than metros’ was and has not been stolen by Craigslist and similar services

10. WHY ARE Community newspapers healthier? They have a strong local news franchise, serving communities that are usually not covered well by other news outlets Their classified-ad revenue is less important than metros’ was and has not been stolen by Craigslist and similar services Many of them (40 percent of weeklies) are independently owned and not subject to demands of debt and Wall Street

11. WHY ARE Community newspapers healthier? They have a strong local news franchise, serving communities that are usually not covered well by other news outlets Their classified-ad revenue is less important than metros’ was and has not been stolen by Craigslist and similar services Many of them (40 percent of weeklies) are independently owned and not subject to demands of debt and Wall Street Some suburban weeklies are able to charge premium ad rates to reach areas with upscale readers

22. WHAT CHALLENGES FACE COMMUNITY PAPERS?

23. WHAT CHALLENGES FACE COMMUNITY PAPERS? The Internet and broadband expansion

24. WHAT CHALLENGES FACE COMMUNITY PAPERS? The Internet and broadband expansion Many community papers have no effective website

25. WHAT CHALLENGES FACE COMMUNITY PAPERS? The Internet and broadband expansion Many community papers have no effective website Many lack skills, resources and impetus to change

26. WHAT CHALLENGES FACE COMMUNITY PAPERS? The Internet and broadband expansion Many community papers have no effective website Many lack skills, resources and impetus to change Recruitment, training and retention of qualified staff

27. WHAT CHALLENGES FACE COMMUNITY PAPERS? The Internet and broadband expansion Many community papers have no effective website Many lack skills, resources and impetus to change Recruitment, training and retention of qualified staff Chronic economic problems in many communities

28. WHAT CHALLENGES FACE COMMUNITY PAPERS? The Internet and broadband expansion Many community papers have no effective website Many lack skills, resources and impetus to change Recruitment, training and retention of qualified staff Chronic economic problems in many communities Expansion of retailers that run few or no ads in newspapers

29. WHAT CHALLENGES FACE COMMUNITY PAPERS? The Internet and broadband expansion Many community papers have no effective website Many lack skills, resources and impetus to change Recruitment, training and retention of qualified staff Chronic economic problems in many communities Expansion of retailers that run few or no ads in newspapers Postal Service (used by some small dailies as well as weeklies)

30. WHAT CHALLENGES FACE COMMUNITY PAPERS? The Internet and broadband expansion Many community papers have no effective website Many lack skills, resources and impetus to change Recruitment, training and retention of qualified staff Chronic economic problems in many communities Expansion of retailers that run few or no ads in newspapers Postal Service (used by some small dailies as well as weeklies) Lobbying by governments for Internet-only public notices

31. DISCUSSION