Join the national exchange of newspapers

Jul 3, 2013

By Ken Blum

It’s time to launch another national exchange of newspapers.

This is your golden opportunity to read and enjoy newspapers similar to yours from across the country.

This is the sixth time I have coordinated the exchange. Typically, about 300 newspapers participate.

How it works

This year’s exchange will take place during the month of August, starting the week of Aug. 5.
E-mail the requested information by Wednesday, July 24 at 5 p.m.

By Monday, July 29 at the latest you will receive an e-mail with a list of newspapers in your group. First, confirm you received the list. Then, set up each newspaper with a complimentary subscription for the month of August only—starting the week of Aug. 5.

An effort will be made to match newspapers in similar circulation categories. Weeklies will exchange with weeklies; dailies with dailies; semiweeklies with semiweeklies.

To assure the lists won’t get too unwieldy, each list of weekly newspapers will be limited to about 20 participants, and each list of daily or semi/tri-weeklies will be limited to about 15 participants.

Please remember—it’s important to set up the 15 or 20 complimentary subscriptions for the month of August only (start week of Aug. 5); and be sure to end them after Sept. 1.

There always seems to be a couple newspapers that sign up for the exchange and then fail to send a paper to other network members. Of course, this is unfair and unprofessional. If you sign up, please follow through.

Here are a few suggestions about how to handle the newspapers you will receive in August.

Don’t try to read the exchange papers as they come in. Store them and then set aside some quality time to go through them.
Have your staff scan the newspapers and prepare a master list of worthy ideas. Hold a meeting to discuss concepts you may be able to plug into your operation.
Participants in this exchange should be willing to share information and ideas with other participating newspapers via phone, mail, e-mail or fax.

Coordinating the exchange has been a rewarding experience and I appreciate the compliments about its success and value.

Ken Blum is the publisher of Butterfly Publications, an advising/speaking/publishing business dedicated to improving the profitability and quality of community newspapers. He puts out a monthly free e-mail newsletter titled Black Inklings. It features nuts and bolts ideas to improve revenue and profits at hometown papers. To subscribe to the newsletter or contact Ken, e-mail him at blummer@aol.com; or phone to 330-682-3416.