Daily Circulation: 15,198
Sunday Circulation: 16,695


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.

Create four employee committees to oversee cornerstones.

Implement weekly newsletter to communicate changes and other information.

Alter department head meetings to focus on management training.

Review, evaluate and implement committee recommendations (estimated 85 percent of recommendations in effect now.)

Launched Reader Focus group to evaluate newspaper.

Developed and completed job shadowing program to facilitate communication/understanding.

Completed "Employee Attitude Survey" to measure employee concerns.

Focused serious on content promotion.

Numerous content changes made.

Service is an ongoing discussion.

All initiatives and committees are employee, not management, driven.



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?
Probably the job-shadowing program. Over the course of four weeks voluntary participants spend time in other areas to watch/discuss what goes on there to help understanding of others' roles and improve communication.



What is the most persuasive indication you have that your readership efforts are producing results?
I see and hear people discussing items related to readership and service. Those discussions, at least among staff, never used to happen before.



What is the most important lesson you have learned as you have worked on readership in the last few years?
My leadership is critical. While I tried to back off initially, fearing my presence would stifle discussion, I find it takes my urging, encouragement and "pressure" to keep them moving forward.



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?
Do a more in-depth evaluation of what readers read, don't read and why. We did a simple version through the reader group, but it wasn't scientific or comprehensive. Cost keeps us from doing it. Readers will do it for free, however, the measurement is a substantial undertaking and would require some help, at least to the degree I want to do it.

Getting Traction on Readership

Survey Responses by Topic & Newspaper