Daily Circulation: 12,254


List the major steps you have taken in the last four years to increase readership. Please organize your response under four headings: content, brand, service, culture.

Content
We have increased our story count on the front page from what had been as low as three stories to now six. We have included a one-column rail on the left side that includes photos and teasers to inside pages. We have included a teaser in the rail that details a story that will be published the next day. We also tease within stories to related stories inside. We include more lifestyle features as space permits. We have changed our obit format to include more information and offer a non-paid and paid format. Have included much more court record information, building permit and property transfer information. People were very interested in having the latter information. . We have created a Things To Do page on Wednesdays that lists area cities and what is going on there. This is go and do information. We break out sidebars and info boxes wherever possible to direct readers so they can learn more. We use our editorial page to interact with readers by asking them questions about what they want. Revamped the comics page to include daily quotes, a joke and people and entertainment news.

Brand
We have strived and have been told we've been successful in helping readers feel like this is their newspaper again.

Culture
From a newsroom perspective, I'm looking to have people directed and respond in a constructive manner. We have made progress in this area. Out of 10 people in the newsroom, most are constructive; we have three that fall either into the passive aggressive or aggressive defensive mode.



What is the most innovative, successful or noteworthy thing you have done on readership that you think other papers might learn from or want to emulate?
The construction of our front page has become more reader-friendly and directs people inside.



What is the most persuasive indication you have that your readership efforts are producing results?
Circulation appears to be making a climb upward, although new marketing techniques and service could be driving that up. Readers tell us the newspaper has improved.



What is the most important lesson you have learned as you have worked on readership in the last few years?
We've been working on it for about a year, since I became editor. That work went into high gear after my first round of formal readership training in May. I have learned that it is important to get readers involved - not to just give them news you think they want. Instead of telling them, you have to get them involved so they get something out of reading your newspaper that makes their lives better.



What would you like to do on readership that you have not been able to do and why haven't you been able to do it?
I'd like to run more features, but space is the problem due to budget constraints caused by newsprint prices. I'd like anchored feature pages, one theme for each day of the week. I need guidance on when to know whether to be at meetings and how to get comfortable switching out hard news for lighter features for a happier mix on the front. Getting all reporters to understand the feature writing aspect. Some excel while others are being coached to understand the format and why it is important.

Getting Traction on Readership

Survey Responses by Topic & Newspaper