Johnson City and Washington County’s Community Newspaper
The Johnson City News & Neighbor has been publishing the good news of our communities for nearly 26 years and continues to be known as the community’s best read weekly publication. The paper quickly grew into a teller of stories that other media did not cover.
Readers told us when we started they wanted more good news, more coverage of what was happening here in the community, and more coverage of the local triumphs that makes life here special.
So, the News & Neighbor became the leader in covering the community’s “good news” features with numerous photographs and stories. Our “good news” focus allowed the News & Neighbor to eschew the crime beat and “controversy for controversy’s sake” stories. When readers pick up the paper they can feel confident they will enjoy reading a positive focus of community news and human interest features.
The national award winning News & Neighbor was the first to cover high school scholarship signings, which many local media now cover. The News & Neighbor gave significant time to covering civic organizations, government, high school sports and other local worthwhile programs, which had been generally ignored by local media to that point.
The News & Neighbor is the leader in covering exciting series feature stories like an around-the-world sailboat cruise by a local couple or the weekly reports from the Appalachian Trail of a local ‘Thru-Hiker’s’ weekly correspondence of his solo 2,000 mile trek. This year’s 2022-23 series featured a local couple traveling around the world visiting out–of-the-way countries and spending a month in each. Those features have earned the News & Neighbor numerous awards along with regular columnists writing popular weekly recipes and humor columns. The paper was also honored and selected to publish the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce’s 100th Anniversary Celebration edition.
And we’re grateful for the respect the business community has given us based on our service to the community. For instance, when Mountain States Health Alliance, now Ballad Health, wanted to name their new hospital a number of years ago, they chose our paper as the vehicle in which to run the naming contest. Lois Peterson won the contest with her entry, Franklin Woods Community Hospital.
The News & Neighbor was also a proud sponsor of the Tweetsie Trail fundraising program that has gained national attention as a tourist attraction.
The Best Community Newspaper
Over the last 15 years a sea change has occurred in print journalism in America. Daily newspapers have declined in local news coverage. As their circulation has declined their advertising revenues have also declined. The quality of local coverage in dailies has suffered immensely. This, however, has been a boon to community newspapers, which are by definition, hyperlocal and are home delivered into the prime demographic homes, the best advertising for local and also national advertisers.
The News & Neighbor has consistently maintained a high level of accomplishment in the community newspaper industry. With six General Excellence awards, 15 top national awards and the top editorial award in 2013 along with over 100 advertising, editorial, photography and personal column awards from newspaper and advertising associations, News & Neighbor is recognized as one of the top community newspapers in America. The paper has also received numerous state, community and civic awards.
The Only Community Newspaper
The Johnson City News & Neighbor is the only locally owned major media property in Johnson City/Washington County. The revenue produced by this publication goes right back into this community. It is not sent off to some corporate office in another state.
Our staff is local. Our owners are local. Every dime that gets paid in salary and wages by News & Neighbor stays here. And when each issue is home-delivered, you, our readers, purchase locally a huge dollar amount of goods and services based on the advertising in this paper. Those purchases stimulate the local economy and fund the tax base.
The way we do business benefits the community as well. Years ago, we created a competitive atmosphere with the News & Neighbor’s free distribution model offering maximum coverage and market penetration with the most cost effective advertising of any media in Johnson City and Washington County.
Some competitors have said in the past that because we offer free distribution recipients of the paper who do not read it. Consistent readership audits, however, tell us those who receive the paper overwhelmingly do read it, and read it consistently.
The newspaper’s circulation and readership have continuously been audited since 2002 supporting its 30,400 home delivery in the market. That figure is nearly 80% more coverage than any other local print media. If you make advertising decisions for a company or organization, please read that last sentence again.
Regular readership percentages each audit period show News & Neighbor in the top 25% of community newspapers in America. According to the Circulation Verification Council President Tim Bingaman, “The Johnson City News & Neighbor’s readership is astronomical.” The Circulation audit and readership survey are available for everyone to review on demand.
We are of this community, by this community and for this community – first, best, only and always. Thank you for the opportunity to continue to be your community newspaper.
