Numbers matter!

Mar 1, 2020

PENSACOLA, Florida — National Newspaper Association President Matthew Adelman, publisher of the Douglas (Wyoming) Budget, is pleased to announce that all Wyoming Press Association member newspapers have joined NNA, effective Feb. 18.

“NNA’s ability to connect with policy makers in Washington, D.C., and around the country is unparalleled for one major reason — our members,” Adelman said. “Numbers matter, and by offering a statewide membership rate for all state press association members, NNA is able to better support and protect our industry’s needs.

“Wyoming — as Utah did before them — has made the commitment to make sure all of its members are involved and represented in that important and difficult work.”

WPA’s 41 member newspapers range in circulation from 143 to 10,554 — The Lingle Guide of Torrington is the smallest newspaper with 143 subscribers, and the daily Wyoming Tribune Eagle in Cheyenne leads in circulation with 10,554 subscribers.

“The Wyoming Press Association is enthusiastic to be fully represented in NNA membership and programming,” Jackson Hole News&Guide Publisher Kevin Olson said. “Many of us have benefited over the years through individual membership. Going forward, we have confidence all Wyoming’s newspapers can use the NNA braintrust to inform and help us navigate through today’s publishing challenges and opportunities.”

According to WPA Executive Director Darcie Hoffman, recruitment and defending public notices are top of mind for Wyoming publishers.

“As our legislature is currently in session, I can say that right now it really feels like every year the fight to keep public notices in newspapers becomes more challenging. This year, Wyoming legislators are saying that small town newspapers are disappearing. In Wyoming, newspapers remain the bedrock of our communities. Last year, we saw 11 of our 23 counties in Wyoming increase in paid newspaper circulations. In a state with a population of 560,000 people, newspaper readership with our print and digital products is approximately 70% of Wyomingites.”

Despite the wide reach of healthy newspapers, “it is getting more and more difficult to find journalists to work at our newspapers. We have reporter beats sitting vacant for too many months, and the number of journalism majors coming out of universities seems to be in decline.”

Adelman encourages associations to join forces and tackle these issues head-on.

“We truly appreciate both state press associations and those others who are considering joining in this unprecedented opportunity,” he said, “because they are the backbone of the National Newspaper Association and our ability as an industry to fight for what matters and to promote, educate and support newspaper journalism throughout the country.”

To discuss membership, contact Executive Director Lynne Lance at lynne@nna.org or 850-542-7087.