Publisher’s Letter: North Forty News and Connecting Communities

We are connecting communities as Northern Colorado’s only locally-owned weekly Newspaper and website.

Everything we do as a team at North Forty News is about connecting communities, from marketing to sales, distribution, and daily operations. It’s important!

I set out nearly six years ago to prevent another newspaper from going out of business. According to the New York Times, over 360 newspapers in the United States have closed since the pandemic’s start. And at that same pace — about two closures per week — was occurring before the pandemic.

Also, according to the New York Times, overall, 2,500 newspapers in the United States — a quarter of them — have closed since 2005. The country may lose one-third of its newspapers by 2025.

By my nature, I am a fixer. My friends and family will tell you that. I’m proud to say that I have “fixed” North Forty News, at least enough to keep it going. I’m also practicing a “Glass is Half Full” approach in everything I do these days. So, looking back, there are many positives to this life-changing experience for me, professionally and personally.

This being said, life is not easy. Like many small business owners, I refrain from taking a paycheck when our cash flow is tight. I make sacrifices every week to keep this operation going. I have reduced my expenses and salary to the point where most people wouldn’t be able to survive. 

I’m not “whining,” I love my new lifestyle because it is sustainable and builds character. But, our readers must know that I have made an enormous sacrifice to support and develop this organization so it will last for multiple generations.

I have managed to get North Forty News not only to survive – but to grow – by building a more robust platform. When I began, North Forty News only distributed about 2,500 copies of our Newspaper a month. Our website traffic was practically non-existent. Since then, my team and I have increased our circulation to more than 40,000 per month – a print/circulation growth of 1,500 percent! At the same time, our average DAILY website visits have also grown by about 310% percent. 

So, folks, the proof is in the pudding! Northern Colorado communities want (and need) local news.

You might say, “Well, with all that growth comes profit.” That would make sense. But honestly, that’s different from how it works in the media world. At least so far. My team and I have spent the last 5+ years proving that the model we have created works. It has taken significant cash investment and a lot of time. Our advertisers have stuck with us because they see results. And we see new advertisers and subscribers every month.

North Forty News needs continued and increasing support from our advertisers, readers, and community. We have made significant progress, but there is still much more to do!

How can you help?

If you would like an article published, please reach out. We love original content written by members of our community. Similarly, building and running this platform takes time and money. So, if you can spare $6 per month, sign up for our Digital Subscription. You will get North Forty News in PDF format, significantly reducing our costs while improving our bottom line. If you like to hold a newspaper in your hands, we understand. And I believe it’s essential! So, that’s why we also offer annual subscriptions to a newspaper, along with promo codes to make it more affordable. Keep an eye on our advertisements in the Newspaper, or sign up on our website. 

Subscription information is below.

Also, there are many other ways our communities can get involved with North Forty News. One of them is through our Builder Call every week. It provides a platform for our community to share their ideas about building a more robust business model, so we can continue to provide a platform for our communities to communicate with the general public.

So, will you join me? We can only do this together!

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Go to northfortynews.com/build to sign up to be on our “builder list.” There is no cost, spam, or obligation.

You can talk to me live, with the following information, every Wednesday at 10 am or email us: [email protected].

Meeting ID, meet.google.com/gnv-izur-jrn

Phone Number, 413-398-2311‬, PIN: ‪498 988 677#‬

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

https://northfortynews.com/donate-now

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

Register by subscribing at:

https://northfortynews.com/subscribe

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