Resources

Community newspapers: The original social networking site

Social networking is all the rage: Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Plaxo and dozens, perhaps hundreds of others. Millions of adults, young and old, are keeping track of friends’ and families’ accomplishments, achievements and activities, sharing everything from successes to recipes.

The national media tend to treat this as a new phenomenon, a trend whose time has come. But few, if any, of these online networks are paying the rent, lights and water bills yet.

Imagine a world where tens of millions of adults, young and old, access some 7,000 social networking sites, each site individually tailored to their community. And that these community networking sites actually pay their bills. Those big national networking sites will get there, you say.

Community newspapers are already there … have been the highly individualized social networking site for more than 7,000 communities … for more than 200 years.

Check one out. You’ll find out who won, who lost, who got a promotion, who just returned from a study abroad trip, who was named student athlete of the week, who is hosting the charity ball, and so much more … in your community newspaper.

Share this age-old resource with your community. Spread the word and your great work.

To help you, the National Newspaper Association has prepared ads in multiple sizes that you can use (you can even insert your own nameplate). Better yet, pull some of your own tearsheets and make a very personalized ad of your own (you can freely borrow the concept from the NNA ad).

Looking for more promotional ads that highlight a newspaper’s service to its community? Check out the House Ads section to find dozens more ads on several topics … from both NNA and its partners.

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