National Newspaper Association
Protecting, Promoting and Enhancing Community Newspapers Since 1885
Chip Hutcheson
Chip Hutcheson is the retired publisher of The Times Leader in Princeton, Kentucky. He was NNA president in 2015. He currently serves as a content strategist for Kentucky Today, the online news website of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. chiphutcheson@yahoo.com
Never lose sight of the fact that your community newspaper is valuable and should be regarded as a local treasure
Be encouraged that your newspaper provides valuable information that no one else does. It holds accountable any unscrupulous people in positions of power who seek their own self-interest. It guards against ...
Want to improve your newspaper’s content?
Want to improve your newspaper’s content? Write a column. Have those on your staff write a column from time to time.
Who generates classified ad sales?
Have you ever stopped to think about what jobs in 2025 no longer exist today? Perhaps the newspaper industry has seen a disproportionate share in comparison to other businesses. That’s reflected ...
Your efforts matter
“Thought you might like to know the influence this article had on her since I guess high school or so,” the man told me in a text.
Work hard AND make good decisions
The road might be difficult and rocky, but determination to overcome obstacles is necessary to provide a newspaper that will serve your community well.
Ad reps must know the community and the paper
A conversation on “Everything Advertising” should include expanding the conversation to include below-the-surface elements instrumental in growing advertising revenue.
Being a leader instead of just a boss
Without the benefit of a designated HR person, here’s some advice for community newspaper leaders relating to HR needs.
Generate income from non-traditional sources
Having a game plan early will be vital because you don’t know what unexpected situations you will face when the fourth quarter arrives. Planning early will pay handsome rewards.
What are some ways to be a fountain?
Validation is important. By noticing the good work someone does and acknowledging it, you are a fountain that will result in the person being motivated to do even better work. Not acknowledging the efforts ...
More ideas on how to generate income for your local newspaper
Newspapers must make money to survive, and the principle that “you cannot cut your way to prosperity” should incentivize newspapers to focus on how to bring in more money.
Overcome these obstacles to help the community and the newspaper's bottom line
Grave danger exists when newspapers navigate away from what has made them successful throughout this country’s history. A newspaper is in grave danger when it ...
A newspaper will always be significant if it has made a difference
... The challenge is how to keep the newspaper’s focus local by tapping into other resources.
A lesson every newspaper owner needs to understand
... In my mind, those “how tos” take second place to advice passed along years ago by a man who was remarkably successful in his profession — Paul “Bear” Bryant, legendary ...
Newspapers are vital for civic democracy — being the watchdog of local government, the safeguard for the public good and the treasury of memories that last a lifetime
There’s not a quick-and-easy solution to recovering from the demise of local news in a publication, but consider these observations.
Consider principles by Walter Williams
The creed maintains that “advertising, news and editorial columns alike should serve the best interests of readers; that a single standard of helpful truth and cleanness should prevail for all; that ...
Making the most of the time you have
As we head into the busy holiday season, it seems to be the opportune time to examine how we use our time. Does our time usage reflect the most effective way to produce a newspaper?
Two options to increase circulation
That same conclusion could be reached by newspaper folks when considering how they can reverse the circulation decline that faces many newspapers across the land. It’s time to learn a different way.
Tips on what to do and what NOT to do
For independently owned papers, thinking ahead is crucial.
Plan these holiday promotions
Like that crossword, the obvious might not seem so obvious. Let’s consider some obvious projects that could be helpful to your bottom line during November and December.
