How are independent and family-owned local media firms navigating the current media environment? Do the economics threaten their independence? What are the critical strategic considerations that will determine their future? Mary Elworth, a Board Member with the Observer Publishing Company, will moderate a panel of highly-respected owners and business managers who will share how they plan to succeed today and for the long-term. Panelists include: Tom Shaw, VP/Group Publisher, Shaw Media Group Jay Seaton, Publisher, Seaton Publishing Company Cameron Nutting Williams, Regional Publisher, Ogden News Group

1. LEAP Summit 2018

3. Company Overview
• 365 employees in 13 markets
• 8 daily newspapers
• 44 weekly newspapers
• 100+ specialty pubs/magazines
• 50+ websites

5. Three challenges / opportunities
• Digital disruption
• Digital is disrupted
• Mobile

6. Challenge: Digital Disruption
• Strategic acquisitions
• Diversification
• Consumer revenue

7. Challenge: Digital is disrupted
• Website Redesign
• Improved user experience
• Grew revenue from consumers
• Digital Marketing Services

8. Redesign
• Faster
• Cleaner
• More relevant
• Less ad units
• Online newspaper

11. Reader Feedback
“Hi Jim Hope all is well with you. I wanted to let you know the new
online format is the best you have had. It make reading the paper
enjoyable again. Thanks.”
“Thank you very much for the improvements. I was going to cancel
because it was just too difficult to read. The loading and reloading
times and ads were frustrating.”

12. Challenge: Mobile
• Sponsored Content

13. Native digital advertising spending in the United States from 2016 to 2019 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Statista 2018

14. Why Sponsored Content?
• Your Business has a story to tell
• Hard to effectively reach your customer base with your unique
value proposition
• Can’t always discount in order to attract customers
• You are starved for time / have a business to run
• Positions you as the expert in your field