Start a Newspaper
Small
Newspapers Can Mean Big Business
Don't be fooled by the
term "small newspaper." Small newspapers are big business in
many parts of the country.
A small (tabloid-sized) newspaper
can soon become a large and successful business. And many
that never become "big business" newspapers still provide a decent
income for owners and several employees.
Facts
Never think that
only large daily newspapers are taken seriously or that only big
papers generate serious income. Weeklies are in the running
with the big boys. While the 1,600 daily papers in the United
States have a combined circulation approaching 58 million, the
7,000 weekly papers also reach a combined circulation of more
than 50 million.
Over all, weeklies are reaching nearly as many
readers as the big city dailies. (In fact, more people in
a household, waiting area, or coffee shop may read the weekly,
since it's around longer, whereas the daily usually gets tossed
after just one day.)
A big daily
newspaper will charge more for advertising (a lot more), and
typically reach a wider readership than the average weekly
paper. That means there is a healthy market — and a real need —
for the serious weekly newspaper publisher. You can do what
then big papers can't.
You don't need to be
as generalized as the big daily paper. You can reach a very
specific community, region, or market. You can offer readers
information more exactly tuned to them and their interests.
That means readers tend to pay more attention to the content of
your paper, reading and browsing through every page. You can
offer advertisers more accurately targeted readers, with greater
exposure to their ads per reader, for less money. True, you
can't boast millions of potential readers — most of whom will
never see the ad on any given page of a large daily. But you
can promise loyal readership and more concentrated exposure for
a more reasonable fee. Why should the advertiser pay more, only
to help other advertisers reach their buyers?
Not only can you make a living for your family with
a small
newspaper, you can often provide jobs for others in the community.
Lots of newspaper businesses soon expand outside the original area
to include other communities or whole regions. Sometimes
they also buy out nearby papers, merging them with their own or
keeping them as separate papers in other towns. And quite often the
newspaper business will soon grow to include other occasional or
seasonal publications, such as visitors guides, Christmas shopping
guides, real estate or livestock guides, local church-directory
guides, and more.
You may start a small
newspaper today and soon have a very large business that covers a
wide area. Newspaper publishing is one of the oldest and
most colorful American business traditions. And who knows,
you may soon become a part of that tradition.
1. But can I work at home?
No matter where you live — in a house, in an
apartment, or wherever — you can start a small newspaper, using your own home as your office.
Now you may prefer, later on, to have an office away from home, for any
number of reasons. But getting started, you can work from home.
2. Owning your own business
There are lots of appealing reasons to
become a newspaper publisher. First, the newspaper becomes your very
own business. You can make a living doing what you love to do.
Second, it's a business you can start with very
little or no money up front. I started with no capital at all.
more on this
3. Creating jobs in
your community
Starting even a small newspaper
business can soon bring
new jobs into your area. Even a local newspaper can grow into a
business that requires more work than you can do alone.
Events in the community will need to be covered, people in different
locations will need their pictures taken, often at the same time. Soon, you'll be paying
local talent,
such as stay-at-home moms or dads, to help out. In time
you may have several full time employees.
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