Happy New Year Everyone! Welcome to 2024! First, I want to quickly get this out the way — I AM NOT A WRITER. I do plan to write an editorial from time to time, just to voice my thoughts, ideas or concerns on industry or subject matter that impacts the local communities we serve. 

Now that 2023 is a wrap, what can you expect from your local community newspaper in 2024? 

2024 outlook: First, in case you didn’t know…we are an award-winning newspaper. Expect that tradition to continue into 2024 and beyond. We have a solid team of reporters and a heckuva sports editor. One of our goals in 2024 is that we’ll dig deeper into some stories through investigative reporting. We’ve done some investigative articles in 2023 and expect that to increase in 2024.

Additionally, as (AI) Artificial Intelligence continues to forge ahead into every industry, including 99 percent of all Fortune 500 companies have added AI in some way. As a company, we’re exploring how to use (AI) here locally. We’ve started to have conversations on how it can benefit both advertising and local readers. It’s a tool that we must use at our disposal as the future of our industry continues to evolve digitally. More to come…

Speaking of digital, as we continue to build our e-edition audience. Our e-edition community continues to be the fastest growing audience for our circulation. While we still value our local print readers, our digital subscribers and daily newsletter reach 4,300 daily and over 1 million impressions monthly. We’ll continue to look at ways to monetize our e-edition and newsletter audience.

In case you didn’t know, we’re a digital agency. We provide an omni channel approach to digital services from Targeted Display, OTT, CTV, YouTube TrueView, (PPC) Pay Per Click, Video Creation, Social Media, Programmatic Advertising, Location Based Marketing, SEO, Organic Social Media, Data & Analysis Solutions Insights, Political Digital Marketing Services and Locally Owned & Operated. We’re not your grandfather’s newspaper. We will develop a strategy that will give your business the best ROI. 

We’ll implement a host of products starting with QR Codes again, spadeas, newspaper wraps, sponsorships, website development, TikTok marketing, high impact advertising, search boost, industry recognition programs, other print and digital media buys, to name a few.

 Reshaping the Tri-State Living magazine is a high priority. It’s a publication that is well written, and has a digital website that is underutilized. We need to get the word out in more places. The goal in 2024 is to have more distribution back into the community. I have personally launched several magazines over my 30 years in media, and Tri-State Living, in many ways, has more potential to reach further into Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky.

Expect me to spend time in the community, talking about all the great things we do as a news organization. We have award-winning publications, and that won’t change. My goal is to position our print publications, e-editions, magazines, special sections, specialty products along with our digital agency for the next generation of readers. 

These are just a few of our goals for 2024. We’ll circle back in July and provide you an update. 

In the meantime, we wish you and your family a healthy and prosperous 2024! 

Kevin Austin is the new publisher of The Ironton Tribune and Tri-State Living.