How The News-Gazette Built a Stronger Digital Future
Like many local newspapers, The News-Gazette in Lexington was facing increased challenges reaching, engaging, and retaining its audience.
The News-Gazette’s Digital Transformation
Turning the Page
Like many local newspapers, The News-Gazette in Lexington was facing increased challenges reaching, engaging, and retaining its audience.
The Virginia Local News Project’s Digital Phase II Program was developed to provide solutions for the challenges The News-Gazette was facing. VLNP partnered with Foxglove Marketing in Roanoke to create a comprehensive audit of the newspaper’s digital presence. This led to a remarkable improvement in The News-Gazette website’s SEO health score, bringing more readers to the site and encouraging them to stay longer and interact with its content. Initial milestones included resolving SEO errors so that more readers can now find the site through search engines; enhancing the site’s structural integrity through clear navigation and faster loading times; and creating and implementing analytics tools to measure success, enhance marketing efforts, and improve the website’s reach and engagement.
By the end of the program, training and video tutorials were provided so that the staff can independently manage and optimize the website for The News-Gazette in order to create a better user experience in which an increasing number of readers visit more pages and share more content, leaving the local newspaper better equipped for long-term sustainability and growth.
DRIVING CHANGE
Strengthening Local News in a Digital World
The Digital Initiative Program is a comprehensive, three-phase effort designed to equip local Virginia newspapers with the training, best practices, and resources needed to excel in the digital landscape. By fostering sustainability and innovation, we are ensuring that local journalism remains a vital resource for communities across Virginia.
Strengthening Local News in the Digital World
Digital Accelerator Program
Expanding digital products and growing audiences are critical steps for sustaining local journalism and providing the resources needed to support newsrooms. Phase III of the Digital Initiative is the Digital Accelerator Program, which offers Virginia’s local news outlets tools to navigate this transition, with milestone-based progress plans, templates, and toolkits to track and achieve digital growth. This program is designed to help local news sites build a sustainable digital strategy while strengthening connections in the community.
The Digital Accelerator Program is built on Digital Phase I and II. Phase I helped create websites for six news outlets that had no online presence and increased statewide website coverage to 97% of local newsrooms. The Digital Phase II pilot program provided local news sites with customized digital audits, tailored recommendations, and one-on-one consulting to address specific challenges. The Digital Accelerator Program furthers this groundwork to help Virginia newsrooms expand their digital reach and better serve local communities.
CONNECTING COMMUNITIES
Showcasing Local Stories Across the State
The Virginia News Reader has showcased over 1,000 stories in just two years, connecting communities across the state through the power of local journalism. By pulling from newspapers of all sizes—print and online—it delivers statewide coverage that no other platform can match, highlighting the strength and breadth of local news while reaching readers everywhere.
Enhancing Local Journalism Across Virginia
In alignment with the Virginia Press Association's strategic goals, the Virginia Local News Project sought to:
- Elevate the stature of local newspapers within their communities and across the state.
- Build trust in local journalism.
- Strengthen newspapers' role in engaging their communities.
- Highlight the value newspapers provide as a cornerstone of democracy.
Introducing Virginia News Reader
To support these goals, we launched the Virginia News Reader, a bi-weekly newsletter and companion website that curates exceptional stories from local publications across Virginia.
What You'll Find in the Virginia News Reader:
- Local stories from every corner of the state.
- In-depth reporting on issues that matter to local communities.
- Features on people and events that inspire and inform.
- Context-rich journalism on issues impacting your daily life.
Explore with the Virginia News Reader Showcase
A new feature on our website, the Virginia News Reader Showcase, includes:
- Interactive State Map: Explore a map of Virginia, pinned and labeled with news publications, organized by region.
- Convenient Access: Discover recent stories from across the state, all in one place.
Key Impact
- News Showcase: +1954 unique page views and 5,814 new visits
- VNR Newsletter: 27.3% open rate and 4,700+ subscribers
This initiative celebrates the essential role of local newspapers in informing, engaging, and connecting communities throughout Virginia.
Subscribe to the Virginia News Reader
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
Creating a Pathway for Young Journalists
The Virginia Local News Project is dedicated to supporting the next generation of journalists through scholarships, training, and mentorship programs. By equipping aspiring reporters with the skills and resources they need, the organization fosters a strong pipeline of talent to sustain and grow local journalism in communities across Virginia.
Creating a Pathway for Young Journalists
The Next Generation
The Virginia Local News Project is dedicated to supporting the next generation of journalists through scholarships, training, and mentorship programs. By equipping aspiring reporters with the skills and resources they need, the organization fosters a strong pipeline of talent to sustain and grow local journalism in communities across Virginia.
Sierra Jenkins Memorial Scholarship
Training and supporting young journalists are core parts of the Virginia Local News Project mission. Student journalists are the future of local news and will implement the changes needed to sustain a vibrant free press.
In March of 2022, Sierra Jenkins, a 25-year-old reporter for The Virginian-Pilot, was tragically shot and killed while leaving a Norfolk pizza restaurant. To honor the Norfolk native’s memory, the Virginia Local News Project partnered with the Hampton Roads Community Foundation (HRCF) to create a scholarship fund in Jenkins’ name. The Sierra Jenkins Memorial Scholarship provides one-time scholarships to Virginia residents pursuing a degree in journalism or communications at a four-year Virginia college or university.
To Apply
If you’d like to learn more – scholarship applications are available December 1 through March 1 on the Hampton Roads Community Foundation website and can be accessed through the scholarship portal.
DEFENDING JOURNALISM
Protecting Press Freedom and Access to Information
The Anti-SLAPP Program equips local news outlets with the tools and support needed to navigate legal challenges that threaten press freedom. Through partnerships with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and Ballard Spahr, the program offers defamation training, white papers, and pre-litigation advisory sessions tailored to the specific needs of members, including potential pro bono assistance. Surveys of newsrooms across the state help assess the broader legal landscape, ensuring the program remains responsive to the most pressing challenges journalists face.
