Our Hometown Blog

Our-Hometown’s Digital Initiative program launched in 2022, partnering with three State Press Associations and already assisting more than a dozen newspaper publications transition to a digital model that introduces a number of brand new revenue streams unavailable to print-only publications.

We’re excited to see the program expand to more states and Press Associations in 2023, continuing our goal of assisting every print newspaper in the country adapt to the ever-evolving digital landscape with a modern, mobile-friendly website and digital subscription options.

The Virginia Press Association

The Virginia Press Association was the first Press Association to partner with Our-Hometown to offer the Digital Initiative to publishers in Virginia.

The program has already allowed five publications to launch brand new websites equipped with all of the tools necessary for publishers to start earning digital subscription revenue.

Check out the following examples:

• The Virginia Star
• The Amelia Bulletin-Monitor
• The Courier-Record
• The Crewe-Burkeville Journal
• The Rappahannock Times

Last summer, we hosted a webinar interview with the Directors of the VPA to get their thoughts on the program and how it has helped their publishers:

The Illinois Press Association & Foundation

The Illinois Press Association & Foundation was happy to partner with Our-Hometown to launch the Digital Initiative in Illinois last summer. We were able to quickly equip several newspapers with new websites and revenue streams made possible by our platform.

Check out some of our publishers in Illinois:

• The Ford County Chronicle
• The Petersburg Observer & Menard County Review
• The Henry News-Republican
• The Southwest Messenger Press

Check out the videos below for some direct feedback from Will Brumleve of the Ford County Chronicle, or learn more about the program by watching the announcement webinar.

The Kansas Newspaper Foundation (KPA)

The Digital Initiative program expanded to Kansas last year when the Kansas Newspaper Foundation (the non-profit arm of the Kansas Press Association) partnered with Our-Hometown to provide newspaper publishers in Kansas access to the resources we provide.

The program was announced during a live webinar hosted by the Kansas Newspaper Foundation last summer.

A handful of publishers have expressed interest and have started the process of migrating to our platform to launch their new websites. We hope to have more information to share soon!

We’re excited to see the progress these publishers have made in the short-time since launching on our platform. We can’t wait to share more news on the expansion of the Digital Initiative, but for now, be sure to contact your local press association to ask if the program is available in your state — and let them know you’re interested!

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