Defying Trends: John Garrett of Community Impact on Growing a Hyperlocal Chain Leading with Print

Local News Matters

John Garrett, CEO and founder of Community Impact, shares insights from his journey of launching and expanding a family of hyperlocal weekly newspapers from the game room of his Texas home in 2005 to reaching 2.5 million homes across 70 communities today. Garrett delves into the unconventional success of a print-centric model in a digital-dominated era, emphasizing the importance of distribution, community engagement, and the unique editorial mix that caters to the civic and local business news interests of residents.

Garrett also discusses the challenges and learnings from overexpansion into other states and the strategic decision to refocus on Texas, underscoring the resilience and adaptability required in the evolving news industry. He highlights the innovative approaches Community Impact has adopted, including digital transformation initiatives like CI 360 and the use of Smart Brevity to enhance storytelling and reader engagement.

Garrett emphasizes on the critical role of local advertising in sustaining journalism, advocating for a partnership approach with local businesses and the significance of geography in advertising effectiveness. He shares personal reflections on leadership, the impact of taking a sabbatical for mental health, and the vision for Community Impact's future, including aspirations for generational leadership and expansion within Texas. Garrett's story is a testament to the enduring value of local news and the potential for print media to thrive through innovation, community focus, and a deep commitment to journalistic integrity.

Episode chapters:

(02:06) - A print success story in the digital age

(05:20) - An editorial mix of catnip and civic info for every resident

(10:29) - Don’t ignore Main Street

(15:08) - Committing to showing up

(19:55) - Why print is a driving force for Community Impact

(23:40) - Not abandoning reach and advertising for reader revenue

(26:46) - Keys to driving ad sales

(29:57) - Geography is your great advantage with an advertiser

(33:50) - Digital transformation at CI

(35:36) - Overexpansion followed by retraction to focus on Texas

(40:45) - Burnout among leaders

(43:46) - Recent growth and plans for the future

(46:59) - Rapid-fire questions

Links:

• John Garrett: LinkedIn, Twitter/X

• Community Impact

• Mentioned

• “How Community Impact Built an Oasis in the News Desert”, Texas Monthly

• Smart Brevity

• Post on CEO burnout/well-being

• The Great Game of Business

• Local News Matters: web, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

• Colorado Press Association: web, Twitter, Facebook

• Tim Regan-Porter: bio, Twitter

For show notes, transcripts, newsletter sign-up and past guests on the Local News Matters podcast, please visit localnewsmatterspodcast.com or lnmpod.com.

Past guests on the Local News Matters podcast include: Shannon Kinney (Dream Local Digital), Larry Ryckman (The Colorado Sun), Frank Mungeam (Local Media Association), Kelly Ann Scott (Alabama Media Group), Sara Lomax and S. Mitra Kalita (URL Media), Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro (National Trust for Local News), Mike Rispoli and Richard Young (via When the People Decide), Sarabeth Berman (American Journalism Project), Rabbi Hillel Goldberg and Shana Goldberg (Intermountain Jewish News), Lyndsay C. Green (via The Journalism Salute), Rashad Mahmood and Mark Glaser (New Mexico Local News Fund), Christian Vanek and Barbara Hardt (The Mountain-Ear), Dan Grech (BizHack), Zack Richner (Easy Tax Credits), Tracie Powell (Pivot Fund), Dan Oshinsky (Inbox Collective), Linda Shapley (via What Works), Yehong Zhu and Jake Seaton (Zette, Column), Charity Huff (January Spring), Joaquin Alvarado and Dave Perry (Aurora Sentinel), Steve Waldman (Rebuild Local News), Maritza Félix (Conecta Arizona), Michael Bolden (American Press Institute), Jeff Roberts and Corey Hutchins (CFOIC, Colorado College), Eve Pearlman and Erica Anderson (Spaceship Media), Jennifer Brandel (Hearken, Democracy SOS), Corey Hutchins with Bay Edwards, Todd Chamberlain and Raleigh Burleigh (Sopris Sun).