Last week, several members of our newspaper team at Nelson Media Company traveled to Des Moines for the Iowa Newspaper Association convention. It was a full day of networking, learning, and talking — nonstop — about newspapers.
This was the first year I’ve ever attended the convention.
And honestly, it will be the last year I ever miss it.
For a long time, I was stubborn. I told myself I could figure this business out on my own. I believed I didn’t need a convention, or outside voices, or industry-wide conversations to build strong local newspapers. I was wrong. I learned an incredible amount in just one day — and I have our employees at Nelson Media Company to thank for pushing me to go.
For those unfamiliar, the convention is much like any professional industry gathering. There are keynote speakers, breakout sessions, presentations, awards, meals, and — most importantly — time to talk with others who are living the same challenges and successes in the newspaper business.
I attended four breakout sessions. One was a general publisher session, and the other three were chosen from multiple tracks. If you know me at all, you know I listen closely and ask a lot of questions. I’ll admit — during those sessions, I probably asked enough questions that a few people in the room wished I’d slow down.
All three sessions I chose focused on one thing: revenue.
That’s the hardest part of this business.
The sessions covered fundraising for journalism, digital advertising, and community events as revenue drivers. Every one of them was eye-opening.
The newspaper business is incredibly difficult — not just to manage, but to fund. Advertising is more challenging than ever, and when revenue becomes inconsistent, it puts newspapers in an impossible position: trying to pay fair wages, offer benefits, and still produce quality journalism with limited resources.
The reality — for nearly every newspaper — is that staffs are lean. Often very lean. That makes the work stressful, and at times, it makes covering everything our communities deserve nearly impossible.
One thing I learned is that larger newspapers across the country are beginning to fundraise directly in support of their journalism mission. That includes well-known outlets like the Star Tribune and the Seattle Times, and even closer to home, Woodward Newspapers in Dubuque. It’s a model designed to support local reporting while keeping journalism honest and independent. It’s something we may explore in the future.
Another major focus was digital advertising. As print advertising becomes harder to sell to a broad audience, digital products are becoming increasingly important. Digital revenue helps support our staff and ensures we can continue delivering news both in print and online.
The third idea centered on community events — things like “Power Breakfasts,” “Best of” contests, and other sponsored gatherings that bring people together while generating revenue through sponsorships and advertising. These events not only support the bottom line, but they also strengthen the relationship between the newspaper and the community it serves.
I’m sharing all of this for one reason: transparency.
I want our communities to know we are working extremely hard to keep local journalism honest, relevant, and strong. Operating with a shoestring staff is not just stressful — it makes the job harder to do well. Yet every week, our teams show up. They cover the events that matter. They hold powerful institutions accountable. They fill the pages of both our print and digital products for you — our readers, advertisers, and neighbors.
We will continue to look at every responsible option available to make our newspapers better for you.
Thank you for reading, supporting, and believing in local journalism.