Tag Archives: Business Weeklies
SF Biz Times editor to leave publication
by Chris Roush
San Francisco Business Times editor Steve Symanovich is leaving the American City Business Journals newspaper after 20 years to pursue other opportunities.
A story on its website states, “‘It’s been a fabulous ride,’ said Symanovich, ‘and I’m ready for a new challenge.’
“During Symanovich’s tenure, the Business Times grew into one of the top publications in American City Business Journals, its parent company, and won numerous editorial awards.
“Symanovich is known by many readers for a weekly column that uses his unique deadpan humor to shed light on life in the Bay Area.
“‘Steve has contributed in so many important ways to the success of the Business Times, and leaves behind a solid and talented team of reporters, researchers and editors,’ said Publisher Mary Huss. ‘Both Steve and I are very proud that the Business Times recently was recognized by the California Newspaper Publishers Association with a first place award for General Excellence. We wish Steve well in his future endeavors.’”
Read more here.
North Carolina biz journal has new part owner
by Chris Roush
The parent company of the Greater Wilmington Business Journal and Wilma magazine has a new part owner, officials announced Thursday.
Vicky Janowski of the paper writes, “Robert Preville now owns half of SAJ Media LLC along with Rob Kaiser, according to a statement from Kaiser, who purchased the publications in 2007.
“Preville said the deal was finalized Wednesday for an undisclosed amount.
“Kaiser said the partnership would help strengthen the publications’ reach into new formats.
“What publishers need these days are geeks, and the Business Journal and Wilma now have a super-geek,’ Kaiser said in the statement. ‘RB [Preville] has a rare combination of technology and business talents. He not only pounds out the code that powers his companies, he’s also very sharp at business strategy, building sales operations, marketing and customer service.’”
Read more here.
Kentucky biz paper moves to monthly publication
by Chris Roush
Business Lexington will go from being a twice-monthly publication to monthly, beginning with its June issue.
Rich Copley of the Lexington Herald-Leader writes, “Publisher Chuck Creacy declined to say much more than that Thursday afternoon, other than the business publication’s new plan will be detailed in that issue.
“‘We have been very successful with monthly publications,’ Creacy said of Smiley Pete Publishing, which produces Chevy Chaser, The Southsider and Tadoo.com, in addition to Business Lexington. ‘Most of our advertisers already buy on a monthly basis.’
“The publication will continue to publish much of its content at Bizlex.com.
“Creacy hinted at changes afoot for Business Lexington last week when the paper laid off its editor, Tom Martin, saying he did not fit into the the publication’s new strategy.
“Thursday also brought news for Martin, who has been named a senior editor for KyForward, a progressive Central Kentucky news website.”
Biz reporter runs for cancer — while he battles cancer
by Chris Roush
Tucker Echols covers general assignment stories for the Washington Business Journal and provides business coverage for WTOP. He is also battling cancer.
Hank Silverberg of WTOP writes, “Tucker Echols, the Washington Business Journal’s reporter normally heard on WTOP every morning, is battling diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a type of cancer that was discovered after he found a lump on his neck.
“‘The very good news here is that it’s very treatable,’ says Echols.
“‘There is a chemotherapy regimen that has worked more than 10 years, almost 15 now, to give lots of folks like me, who catch it early, a good chance of survival.’
“When the cancer is caught early, patients have an 80 percent chance of survival.
“But Echols, who is 51, has lost his hair to chemotherapy. And he has had a few difficult moments, like telling his two kids, who are 6 and 8.
“They asked him if he was going to die.
”‘I said, ‘No, I’m not going to die. That is the good news here.’”
Read more here.
Owner of biz weeklies reports first-quarter loss
by Chris Roush
Dolan Co., which owns business newspapers across the country, reported a net loss and a decline in revenue for the first quarter.
The Minneapolis-based company reported that first quarter revenues decreased 8.5 percent year-over-year to $54.7 million. Its net loss was $7.2 million, or 25 cents per diluted share. This includes an $10.7 million impairment charge, partially offset by the reversal of a $5.0 million purchase price hold back.
In its business information division, which includes the business newspapers, revenue declined by almost 11 percent to $15.8 million in the first quarter compared to last year. This was driven by public notice revenues, which declined 17 percent. Similar to the preceding quarter, public notice advertising felt the impact of lower mortgage default volumes, which reduced margins and profitability.
In the business newspaper division, direct operating expenses were $6.0 million during the first quarter of 2013, a 7.9 percent decline compared to $6.5 million last year. In addition, selling, general and administrative expenses of $7.5 million were 3.8 percent lower than last year.
Dolan owns the Long Island Business News, the Idaho Business Review and the Daily Journal of Commerce in Portland, Ore., among others.
Read the earnings release here.
Why business news weeklies get into holding events
by Aaron Kremer
In an ideal world, a business would only have to do one thing very well to ensure a steady source of revenue.
The news business doesn’t work that way.
At Richmond BizSense, a daily business news website I started six years ago, we have built a stable business supported by digital advertising.
But where we see the biggest growth – which we use to invest in our newsroom – is in selling sponsorships to events. We use our news instincts to dream up topics we know will hook our audience. Then we tell the story live on stage.
The revenue comes in the form of sponsorships, but only when the topic is one that businesses want to be associated with.
We learned that lesson the hard way. In 2011, we put on an event called “The Business of Booze.” We sold out all our tickets and packed the panel with the local brewers and distillers. What we didn’t take into account that local service businesses (think lawyers and accountants) would shy away from the topic.
Lesson learned.
For 2013, we thought up a simple happy hour to promote the fastest growing businesses in town. We picked up several new clients that had never advertised with us, including Wells Fargo and UPS. Both are eager to promote entrepreneurship.
We expect to bring in enough revenue from events this year to support one full-time reporter in our newsroom.
Of course, knowing how to dig up juicy stories and write them in a clear and lively manner is not a trait on the same gene as, say, choosing between pigs in a blanket and Swedish meatballs for the menu.
So we have an event planner who takes our idea and makes sure the food is hot and the room is property set up. And one huge advantage for a news operation in the event business is that we have a direct line of communication with 12,000 subscribers, so we can market the heck out of our offerings.
Our 2013 event lineup includes three events:
- Breakfast of Champions: The Big Business of the NCAA;
- The RVA 25: A happy hour with the fastest growing companies in Richmond;
- Kitchen Confidential: Richmond’s top restaurateurs share their recipes for success.
To be sure, none of this is novel. Regional business journals have relied heavily on events for decades. It’s just new for us. And surprisingly lucrative.
Aaron Kremer is the founder of Richmond BizSense, a daily business news website in Richmond, Va.
Kentucky biz newspaper editor is laid off
by Chris Roush
Business Lexington editor Tom Martin was laid off Tuesday as part of a “strategy change” at the weekly newspaper.
Rich Copley of the Lexington Herald-Leader writes, “Martin, 63, said he couldn’t say much about the matter because of a confidentiality agreement. He did say, ‘Macroeconomics finally came to visit a small independent publication, and it just became difficult to sustain under those conditions. I am deeply sorry I am not going to be able to continue in this role because I absolutely, since coming back from New York in 1995, have fallen in love with this town, and I never intend to leave it again.’
“Creacy said Martin was let go because he didn’t fit into new plans for Business Lexington.
“‘We’re doing great,’ Creacy said Tuesday morning. ‘We just need to adapt what we’re doing.
“‘I’m not able to talk about the details or our plans or what’s next, but I will, when we’re ready. It’s something we’ve been working on.’
“Creacy said the changes are specific to the business newspaper, and he does not expect other personnel changes at its parent company, Smiley Pete Publishing group, which also produces the Chevy Chaser, The Southsider and the entertainment website Tadoo.com.”
Sacramento biz journal launches new home page
by Chris Roush
The Sacramento Business Journal, an American City Business Journals paper, has launched a new home page.
Editor Jack Robinson writes, “The site redesign reflects our increasing emphasis on publishing the news you need as it happens, all day long. Much of the page will be dominated by the newest stories — including many exclusives about businesses and economic news in the capital region.
“We’re doing away with the rotating carousel of images at the top to present a cleaner, simpler display of images keyed to stories on the site. And subscriber-only stories will be highlighted in a box at the top of the page.
“Many other features — including the Business Pulse survey and list of most popular stories on the site — will remain much as they are.
“We hope you find the new home page more accessible and useful, and we want to hear from you.”
Read more here. The changes are occurring at other ACBJ papers as well. Here is an explanation from Kevin Bumgarner, the editor of the Pacific Business News in Honolulu.
Sacramento biz journal hires new reporter
by Chris Roush
The Sacramento Business Journal has hired Christopher Arns as a reporter.
Jack Robinson, the editor of the paper, writes, “Christopher Arns joined the paper on Monday as our first Capitol reporter. His mission: to find out what California’s massive state government is doing for — and to — business interests.
“He’ll get under the dome and inside the bureaucracy to find out what new regulations and legislation could mean for your business. He’ll report on big new contracts and business opportunities with the state. And he will dig deep into the Golden State’s ongoing struggle to shed the “job killer” label and better compete with other states.
“Christopher is an accomplished reporter who has written for many Sacramento-area news organizations, including this one, as a freelancer. He’s also author of the first travel guidebook devoted to the Sacramento and Gold Country regions. It’s due out in May from Moon Handbooks.
“A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo who also has a master’s degree in international relations from California State University Sacramento, Christopher also teaches political science part-time at Napa Valley College.
“He replaces Melanie Turner, who recently left to take a job with the state Air Resources Board. Her beats will be split up among other staff writers, with real estate reporter Ben van der Meer taking transportation and agriculture issues and technology writer Mark Anderson taking energy, clean technology and med/biotech.”
Read more here.
Denver Biz Journal starts energy newsletter
by Chris Roush
The Denver Business Journal has started a weekly email newsletter called Energy Inc. that will be sent out every Tuesday.
A story on its website states, “Energy Inc. is powered by the DBJ and its award-winning energy reporter, Cathy Proctor. It has everything you need to know about the energy industry.
“In one package, you get the latest oil, gas, wind and solar-energy news from across Colorado and the region, plus in-depth industry reporting and analysis from Proctor and other energy reporters and experts from around the nation.
“Energy Inc. is a compilation of Proctor’s news reports and blog posts that appear online and in the print edition of the weekly Business Journal, along with those of other DBJ staff members.
“We also gather headlines from energy industry centers around the nation, and news from the Bakken, Utica and Marcellus shale plays.”
Read more here.
