Carol Horton VP-PR And Marketing, Buffalo News, Is Tonight's Guest Speaker

Program:

This week’s speaker was Carol Horton, VP Marketing & Public Relations – The Buffalo News.   Carol is a Board member of the Buffalo Better Business Bureau, and the Buffalo Zoo – Cotillion Committee.  Her prior employment included various responsibilities with Gannett’s The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, CA).  She has also had responsibilities as TV, including cable, News and Weather Anchor, TV Weekend Producer, Assistant Editor for a magazine, and as a Radio News Director.  She spoke about the changing nature of providing news content and the need to speak to different audiences in ways they want.

·         A number of handouts that demonstrated publication targeting, e.g., Buffalo magazine

·         Buffalo News (“BN”) Paywall launched in October 2012

·         A key business issue is how to get paid for creating news content in e-form (internet)

·         BN has identified three groups in which it needs to establish and sustain a strong position:

o   “Stephanie”—young, single, hip, attuned to electronic communications

o   “Janet”—middle aged, both print and electronic media users, wanted by advertisers

o   “Bill”—loves print media (where BN and all papers make the most money)

·         BN penetration (i.e., at least one access to a BN publication during the last 30 days) in the WNY market is 78%. This compares to 20% for other papers in other markets.

·         The consumer is still confused about print/ digital options, especially vs. websites

·         Warren Buffet (Berkshire Hathaway owns Gannett Publications which owns BN) loves newspapers: he grew in a newspaper family, met his wife working at a newspaper, and believes they contribute to a strong community.