Search This Blog

Sunday, June 20, 2010

How to start a community newspaper

How To
How to Start a Community Newspaper

Contributor
By an eHow Contributing Writer
Article Rating: (5 Ratings)
Email Facebook Twitter StumbleUpon
Add to Favorites Print Share.I want to do this! What's This? ..
Despite hundreds of Internet news sites and several 24-hour cable television news stations, National Public Radio (NPR) reports more than 20 million American still get a significant amount of news from small, community newspapers. While a person doesn't need a journalism degree to become a publisher, a passion for news and people are necessary for someone wanting to start a community newspaper. Read on to learn how to start a community newspaper.
.Difficulty: Challenging
Instructions.Step 1
Perform extensive market research. Find out about your potential readers and advertisers, your competition and the type of material they're producing. While news is news, how it's packaged can vary depending on a publication's audience. Besides that, the real flavor of a newspaper isn't just the news.

Step 2
Decide if you will publish online, offline or both. If offline, think about the format and distribution method of your paper. Will you use a tabloid layout or a journal sized paper and who will do the layout? If you're interested in doing an online newspaper, some basic html know-how and a software program providing you with the ability to size photographs will get you started.

Step 3
Put your financial ducks in a row. You'll need a solid business plan and accounting structure if you're going to start selling ads and paying staff members. It's always smart to hire a professional to handle your bookkeeping, payroll and taxes.

Step 4
Develop news and article sources by meeting with area businesses, government bodies, law enforcement agencies, schools, community leaders, volunteer organizations, non profit groups, youth groups, civic clubs and anyone else you know. Not only will you want to introduce yourself and your newspaper, you'll want to accumulate some photos and stories to get your first issue off to a great start.

Step 5
Learn how to price and sell advertising. This is probably the most crucial element of your endeavor. No matter how pleasant your layout, how well written your articles or how outstanding your photographs, advertising dollars will pay the bills and keep you in print or online.

Step 6
Count on putting the community first in the content of your community newspaper. Stories and photos about pets, fishing and hunting results, school news, sports teams, recipes from local cooks, gardening tips, church news, club news, wedding, engagement and birth announcements and a calendar of local events and meetings should take up most of your pages, with a few pertinent news stories getting first page placement.

Step 7
Think about how you can distribute your newspaper at the lowest cost possible. You could mail them to every household in your area or you could set up distribution points throughout your town.
.

Read more: How to Start a Community Newspaper | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2120013_start-community-newspaper.html#ixzz0rQJMr9Fx

2 comments:

  1. I need to know how important it is to have an editor at a community newspaper?

    ReplyDelete
  2. We are urgently in need of KlDNEY donors for the sum of $500,000.00 USD, WhatsApp or Email for more

    details:(customercareunitplc@gmail.com)
    WhatsApp +91 8681996093

    ReplyDelete