A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be asked to address
PPRA members at a Strategic Alliances program. It was a great chance to
introduce them to Region’s Business and meet some savvy people.
For those who were unable to attend, I hope we’ll have the chance
to connect and work together. In the meantime, here are a few points we
discussed.
Region’s Business is a weekly print news magazine focused on
business and politics in Philadelphia and the city’s Pennsylvania suburbs,
aimed at C-level executives, politicians and, in general, the people that shape
our region. We started publishing in August (Wednesday is deadline day as we
distribute on Thursdays) and we’ll be relaunching our website later this month.
If you haven’t gotten your hands on a copy, first check out the PDF version online,
then drop
me an e-mail so we can get some hard copies to you. After you’ve seen it, I hope you’ll agree
that it’s a publication your clients should be part of since each of them
likely has something to offer our readers.
How do we make that happen? Here are some thoughts from our
side.
By all means, please send along your press releases. But
don’t stop there. We’re always on the look out for great story ideas – both big
and small – as well as contributors for standing features like op-ed columns
and Ideas columns (that’s where experts offer guidance, advice and tips to
business leaders).
Some at the PPRA event seemed surprised when I said we
welcomed story ideas from agencies. I guess I was surprised that they were
surprised. After all, we certainly don’t have the market cornered for great
story ideas and you certainly know what your clients have to offer better than
we do.
We’re just getting started at Region’s Business, but the
momentum we’ve built out of the gate is both exciting and encouraging. We have
some exciting projects in the works for 2013 and I hope that more people will
be a part of it.
I’m looking forward to those conversations, so drop that
e-mail or give me a call.
Karl Smith is the
Editorial Director for Independence Media, publisher of Region's Business.
Previously, he worked for AOL's Patch.com, where he was the
third employee hired in Southeastern Pennsylvania and played a pivotal role in
helping to build the network of hyperlocal news websites across the
Philadelphia region. He worked for more than a decade at Calkins Media'sphillyBurbs.com, directing the interactive operation after several years as
managing editor of that company's flagship newspaper, The Bucks County Courier
Times. His newspaper background includes stints at The Asbury Park Press, The
Pottstown Mercury, The Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader and The York Daily Record.
A regular presenter at Pennsylvania Newspaper Association workshops, he's
taught as an adjunct instructor at Monmouth University and Rutgers University
and has held consultancies at the New Jersey Press Association, the U.S. Air
Force, the Society of Newspaper Design, the American Jewish Press Association
and The Times News (Lehighton, Pa.).
