E&P’s Top Ten of 2011

By: Kristina Ackermann As we prepare to lower the curtain on the year 2011, it’s interesting to revisit some of the year’s big stories. If our analytics are any indication, E&P readers are most interested in what other publishers are doing to conquer today’s challenging climate. Here are our top 10 most-visited stories from 2011.   1. 10 Newspapers that Do It Right This year we ended up profiling more than 10 newspapers who do it right, simply because we received so many stories on how newspapers across the country are boosting sales and readership. We figured a good idea was worth sharing, even if it put us over the number of papers the headline called for. Looks like you guys thought so too.   2. 25 Under 35 We have a running joke in the office that if you can’t figure out how to work something, just find someone who’s 10 years younger than you to show you how. This is the logic behind our “25 Under 35” feature — a profile on 25 of the industry’s younger professionals, what they’re working on, and where they plan on taking us.   3. Will Classified Advertising Come Back? E&P columnist Alan Mutter is nothing if not direct. He’s known for giving straight analysis and projections, whether it’s what you want to hear or not. Here’s his take on the loss of classified advertising, and what it means for the future of the newspaper business.   4.  The Smart and Sexy Story of Newspapers In an effort to reinvigorate the industry’s image, the NAA launched a marketing campaign with the slogan “Smart is the new sexy” as a way to lure advertisers back to the medium. Many of our readers (and even our own editorial staff) were disappointed with the execution of the ad, but there’s still a great amount of credit due to the NAA for recognizing the problem and taking the first step to reverse the trend.   5. Former AP Reporter Nears Profit After Starting a Paper From Scratch Everyone loves a good, old-fashioned success story. Man moves from downtown Philly to the small community of Elizabethtown to start his own newspaper, and in print no less! After a crash-course in business operations, Dan Robrish is well on his way.   6. Losing the War on Reporting the Mexico Narco Violence This story by Joseph Kolb, editor/publisher of The Gallup Herald in northwestern New Mexico, portrays the danger facing reporters in Mexico. Areas ravaged by cartel drug violence are in desperate need of local news, but those who dare report it may pay with their lives.   7. Three Newspapers that Hit Rock Bottom and Bounced Back Can there be a silver lining to bankruptcy, layoffs, revenue decline, and shrinking circulation? These three newspaper companies would argue so. See what it takes to turn the tide.   8. Six Newspaper Entrepreneurs and Their Road to Success If you’re feeling like all you hear is negative news about how the industry is imploding, be sure to give this story a read. Six profiles on entrepreneurial newspaper owners who are keeping local news alive in their hometowns.   9. How Digital Editions Can Help Save Newspapers Gary Randazzo, a former executive with the San Francisco Chronicle and Houston Chronicle, shares his strategy on making the Internet work for newspapers.   10. Journalism Schools: Surviving or Thriving? Round out our top 10 is an investigation into what the changing newspaper business means for journalism schools and students. An emphasis on double-majors, real-world experience, and multimedia reporting techniques is just the beginning.