Publisher’s Letter: How Diversification is Changing your News Service

Recently, I wrote an article about how diversification is one of our targets to grow North Forty News into a multigenerational locally owned news service. And the proof is in the pudding!

As a result of my recent Publisher’s Letters and our readers’ response, North Forty News had its most successful month this year (in September) for renewals and new subscriptions! I have been publishing a chart so our readers can see the growth. There is a definite curve. In the graph, we want the blue and red lines to cross. When they do, we are halfway to our goal! 

Honestly, as you can see, it could (and should) be a more substantial curve by now. I aim to bring 1,000 new subscribers to North Forty News by January. We are working towards that, but we still have a long way to go.

Subscriber growth will be how we (our readers and staff team together) make North Forty News prosper and stable for years to come. Wouldn’t securing a locally-owned news service for Northern Colorado be great? It would. It’s a necessity!

If you are a subscriber, renew now. You can contact us at [email protected], renew at northfortynews.com/subscribe, or fill out the form in our newspaper and mail it to us.

Subscriber growth is one thing, but North Forty News needs to continue diversifying to ensure its healthy continuation for years to come.

One of the ways I am diversifying North Forty News is through promoting and selling regionally produced local products. Enter the NOCO Marketplace. Now online at northfortynews.com/market, we are slowly building a product offering of locally produced products and services. Soon, you will also see a cross-collaboration of the NOCO Marketplace in our newspaper as a weekly section. My team and I are working on it. Keep your eyes peeled! Are you interested in putting your product or service in the NOCO Marketplace? Contact us today at [email protected].

Another way we are diversifying is through lumber sales. How does a newspaper produce lumber, you might ask? I have taken my owned 20-acre slice of the North Forty (historically referred to as a portion of Northern Colorado), and I’m repurposing the dead-standing lumber (from the High Park Fire in 2012) with the mill I purchased to help me build my future home. This lumber is beautiful, and the people buying it give me great feedback. Sure, I’m running a newspaper, which takes a lot of time. But because diversification is essential, I’m dedicating every spare moment to making this lumber for our supporters and new customers. I’m having a blast doing it.

And thank you! Let’s keep it all going.

Of course, our primary current source of revenue is through advertising. To run a FREE regional weekly, it’s expensive. And our advertisers are the ones who are making that possible. I am also asking our readers to consider us for your advertising, whether a simple classified or a business marketing plan. We are here for all of you. We can custom-tailor packages at any budget level to help you get the word out about what you are trying to sell or promote.

So, in a nutshell, that’s a glimpse at what we are doing today to diversify North Forty News. 

I hope you will join me by spreading the word about North Forty News in these ways:

Ask people to subscribe and subscribe yourself.

Give subscriptions as gifts.

Encourage people to buy products from us.

Tell our advertisers that you support them because you saw their ad in North Forty News or advertise your products or services.

My team and I can’t do this alone. Our community needs to get behind North Forty News to make it an even more vital regional communication catalyst. Our communities benefit from it, and North Forty News is slowly growing!

We can and will make North Forty News an even more potent catalyst. But we must do it together. Will you join me?

Support our efforts with a contribution for coverage in our communities at:

https://northfortynews.com/donate-now

For our current subscribers, driveway delivery of North Forty News is now available within a reasonable distance to state highways and urban areas.

Current subscribers register at:

https://northfortynews.com/driveway-delivery/

New and returning subscribers register at:

https://northfortynews.com/subscribe

Inquire about any  of our advertising at: [email protected]