AAN Association of Alternative Newsmedia

'Strong Local Voice and Brand Identity' Are Key to Alt-Weeklies' Future

august 23, 2010 02:47 pm

Commenting on the ongoing battle between San Francisco Bay Guardian and SF Weekly, Jonathan Weber of The Bay Citizen writes that alt-weeklies with a strong local focus will be better positioned to maintain reader loyalty:

In the Internet era, there are plenty of options for those attracted to an alternative sensibility. But even if the Salons of the world capture some of that audience, there's still a place for the distinctively local approach -- and chains, by their nature, find that harder to cultivate.

The SF Weekly is in many ways a richer, more contemporary paper than the Bay Guardian. But its most recent issue, as an example, features a cover story -- about the persecution of border migrants -- that's part of a chainwide project and doesn't have much to do with San Francisco.

In addition to citing a local editorial focus, Weber also suggests that staging live events (such as 'Best of' concerts and parties) can help publications create stronger bonds with their communities.

View full article at The Bay Citizen