This month marks the start of our fourth publishing year. While that alone is not cause for a special celebration, we’re gratified that Reporter Newspapers—with three editions and more than 50,000 copies delivered to homes and businesses—has grown at a time when other local publications have diminished in size or disappeared altogether.
It is noteworthy that this issue, with 40 pages including a 16-page pullout Education Guide, is our biggest ever.
The first Reporters printed on January 26, 2007 were two 16-page papers in Sandy Springs and Buckhead. They represented a leap of faith for me and three key colleagues: Ad Director Amy Arno, Creative Director Chris North and Senior Editor John Schaffner.
Although the four of us had over 100 years of combined experience in our professions, no one could have imagined what the next three years would bring. Nor did we plan for the very challenging business climate of the past 15 months. Nevertheless, we were excited about introducing the distinctive look and content of the Reporter to these important and vibrant areas.
Now, after several thousand sales calls, page layouts and articles–and the efforts of a dozen other talented staff members and regular contributors–we are appreciative that the three Reporters (Brookhaven was launched a year ago) have become fixtures in their respective communities.
Despite the tough economy, Reporter sales and circulation increased in 2009 and we are looking forward to continued growth. My founding colleagues and I know, of course, that our success to date is attributable to strong support from readers and advertisers alike. Thank you for your good wishes and generous feedback. As always, please let us know how we’re doing, and what we can be doing better.
Contact Steve Levene at publisher@springspublishing.com.