Recent press
Saving Community Journalism: The Path to Profitability
July 24:
“Staying Relevant to Readers and Advertisers in a Digital Age” by Leslie I. Benson
Description: At the Association of Alternative Newsmedia annual convention in Nashville, Penny Abernathy spoke “to a room full of people passionate about journalism, truth and justice in our communities” and outlined how publications can remain relevant and profitable in a digital age.
Click here to read the story.
July 18
“It’s not too late to save community journalism.” It’s all Journalism podcast with Michael O’Connell , morning web editor of Federal News Radio.
Description: Penelope Muse Abernathy discusses the economic shift taking place in the journalism industry and outlines how publishers of alternative news weeklies can respond.
Click here to listen to Michael O’Connell’s interview.
“The Elbert Files: Newspapers in Jeopardy. Column by Dave Elbert in the Des Moines Business Record.
Columnist Dave Elbert reviews the recent history of newspapers and comments on the strategic recommendations in the book, Saving Community Journalism.
Click hereto read the column.
July 10
Critical Eye: Brief Encounters. Columbia Journalism Review
Journalist James Boylan reviews Saving Community Journalism: “In formulating her advice, (the author) has had not only the help of research resources and students at her university’s school of journalism but the co-operation of a varied group of community papers across the country. Each is going through its own process of conversion at its own pace . . . .”
Click here to read the review.
June 11:
NiemanLab. “Q&A: Penelope Must Abernathy on how community newspapers can face the digital transition”
In an interview with Justin Ellis, Penny Abernathy discusses how newspapers need to capitalize on their relationship within their communities, turning digital threats into opportunities.
Click hereto read the story.
June 10:
The State of Things – WCHL Radio
Host Frank Stasio interview with author Penny Abernathy
Description: Industries are being forced to adjust to the digital age and newspapers are no exception. Small community papers are having to learn to cope with digital competition and changes to advertising. In her new book, Saving Community Journalism: The Path to Profitability author Penny Abernathy seeks to help those community papers make that transition.
Click here to listen to host Frank Stasio’s interview.
June 9:
NetNewsCheck, the Business of Local Digital Media
“Abernathy: Small Papers Must Seize Niche.”
Interviewed by Meg Heckman, author Penny Abernathy “argues for a much more expansive and modern definition of community newspapers, based on mission and market as opposed to circulation. The papers she studied include rural weeklies, dailies in small cities and even a 150,000 circulation Spanish-language weekly in Chicago.”
Click here to read the story.
June 3:
National Newspaper Association, Presstime
“Saving Community Journalism explores ways for newspapers to sustain good health.”
~Interview with Catherine Payne.
Description: In a question-and-answer session, Penny Abernathy explains the challenges community newspapers face in the digital age and how they can respond effectively. “My goal in writing the book was to provide publishers and editors of community newspapers with a practical framework for implementing strategies that help them survive and thrive in the digital era.”
Click here to read the story.
May 17:
WCHL Radio, “Who’s Talking?” with D. G. Martin host
Description: Interview with author Penny Abernathy on her career in journalism and the media business and why she is so passionate about saving community journalism.
Click here to listen to D. G. Martin’s interview.
May 13, 2014
UNC students and faculty are helping community newspapers in North Carolina and across the country transform their product for the digital age. Click here to read the story in Endeavors magazine.
May 9, 2014
The American Journalism Review has an excerpt from Saving Community Journalism, “Chapter Three: How Newspapers Must Change” and an interview with the author, Penny Muse Abernathy.
April 29, 2014
In an interview with Columbia Business School, author Penelope Muse Abernathy, who has 30 years of experience in journalism, including executive positions at the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, talks about what’s ahead for community newspapers. Click here to read the story.
