SACRAMENTO, Calif.,
April 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/
-- The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that "local journalism
is needed more than ever," McClatchy CEO Craig Forman said yesterday in remarks
delivered during the Kindred livestream panel, "Can Brands Save
Local News?" In his 20-minute conversation with Ian Schafer, Kindred's CEO and advertising
industry veteran, Forman urged national advertisers to think
differently about advertising with news brands, especially local
ones.
"News isn't monolithic," Forman said as he went on to explain
the advantages of advertisers using local news brands to promote
their products and messages. "We have to dispel the notion
that news is this vast bucket and it's all the same…We have a
powerful platform that allows national advertisers to connect with
local audiences."
Forman, citing his leadership of both big branded-media
companies and Silicon Valley digital platform companies, stressed
the important role that advertisers play in using their marketing
dollars to helping maintain a more informed society. He
pointed out that local news outlets, with the support of
advertisers, are an essential 'lifeline service' for their
communities and help establish a profound connection to their
audiences -- bringing additional vitality to these cities and
towns.
Schafer closed the interview by asking Forman for a final
thought. "This crisis has shown us that where we live is an
essential part of who we are," said Forman. Addressing national
advertisers, Forman continued, "If you're a national advertiser,
let's think about how you can use local news...let's partner
together to come out of this [crisis] stronger."
Following Forman's question-and-answer session, Ian Schafer interviewed Kerry Flynn, media reporter, CNN; Karen Rundlet,
director, Knight Foundation; and Matt
Rivitz, founder, Sleeping Giants. Kindred is a New York-based startup in the event space that
aids companies with socially conscious practices.
McClatchy operates 30 media companies in 14 states,
providing each of its communities with strong independent local
journalism in the public interest and advertising services in a
wide array of digital and print formats. McClatchy publishes iconic
local brands including the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star, The
Sacramento Bee, The Charlotte Observer, The (Raleigh) News & Observer, and the Fort
Worth Star-Telegram. McClatchy is headquartered in Sacramento, Calif. #ReadLocal
Kindred's mission is to accelerate the growth of sustainable,
purpose-led business by developing, connecting, and empowering a
network of responsible leaders. For more information about
Kindred's content series, visit http://content.kindred.live, and
for more on Kindred's events, visit http://kindred.live.
McClatchy
Jeanne Segal
jsegal@mcclatchy.com
1+202-271-8880
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SOURCE McClatchy