Strategic plan promises America’s Newspapers will lead into future

Early in my term we began discussing the need for us to develop a plan outlining our goals for the next coming years. And by polling members and workshopping with board members, a handful of critical items rose to the top.”

Leonard Woolsey, president of America's Newspapers

This is my penultimate column as president of America’s Newspapers — an honor of service I will forever hold deeply.

Penultimate is one of my favorite words, an obscure term for “next to last.” I learned the word in a brief, yet torrid affair with road cycling — with the next-to-last rider to arrive earning an award. Lots of good-natured ribbing from fellow riders soon followed, and the rider looked forward to unloading the honor to some unfortunate soul in the next race.

And so comes the time for me to use a word long ago relegated to obscurity, but not forgotten.

And speaking of not to be forgotten, this is a good time for me to reflect on the cornerstone project for America’s Newspapers during my term — the development and implementation of the first strategic plan in our organization’s history.

Plans are important. As nimble as we must be in today’s business environment, we must have beacons — or markers — to help us navigate in the fog of daily activity. Doing so encourages us to look up from our daily focus and make sure we remain on course for the organization.

And this year, America’s Newspapers’ board did just that, ensuring our organization has a roadmap based on the wants and needs of our members. And for that, I thank you: the membership and my fellow board members. Creating such a body of work is as challenging as it is critical for our organization. But like a ship without a rudder, you cannot successful arrive at your destination without it.

The strategic plan is simply that: steps to arrive at a destination that the membership and board of directors decided to chart.

Many times the hardest step is the first. Early in my term we began discussing the need for us to develop a plan outlining our goals for the next coming years. And by polling members and workshopping with board members, a handful of critical items rose to the top.

Rooted in the belief that local newspapers are essential to informed communities and a functioning democracy, the plan identifies five strategic priority areas, alongside core internal investments that will enable the organization to deliver on its mission. The priority areas — and the reasons they matter — include:

• Advocate for local news: Local journalism is facing mounting threats to its sustainability, from shifting revenue models to regulatory pressures. America’s Newspapers will lead coordinated advocacy efforts at the federal level while equipping members to engage in grassroots advocacy within their communities.
• Continue to serve as the industry convener: In a fragmented and resource-constrained environment, the ability to bring industry leaders together is vital. Through repositioned conferences, access to outside experts and cross-sector collaboration, America’s Newspapers will remain the central hub for knowledge-sharing, innovation and community-building across the local news sector.
• Grow and expand organizational membership: A stronger, more diverse membership base enhances the organization’s advocacy power, financial resilience and relevance. New tiered membership structures and clearer value propositions will make membership more accessible to a wider range of local news organizations — particularly smaller and emerging outlets.
• Establish strategic partnerships: Solving the industry’s biggest challenges will require collaborative action. America’s Newspapers will deepen partnerships with academic institutions, state press associations and other aligned organizations to address shared priorities, grow the talent pipeline and amplify impact.
• Evaluate and evolve program offerings: As member needs evolve, so must the organization’s services. America’s Newspapers will implement regular program audits, sunset underperforming initiatives and pilot new offerings to ensure its programs deliver meaningful, timely value.

And from here, America’s Newspapers will chart the future for our industry. Our organization is committed to developing the resources, talent and actions required to achieve what our members identified. And we will.

I am proud and fully committed to the success of America’s Newspapers’ strategic plan for 2025 – 2027. I’ve worked closely alongside staff, board members and our membership — who all feel the same. We will deliver on the belief that local newspapers are essential to informed communities and a functioning democracy. And together, we will succeed.

I invite you to find a way to plug in and help us move our collective industry forward.

Leonard Woolsey is president of Southern Newspapers, Inc., and president and publisher of The Daily News in Galveston, Texas.  He also serves as president of America's Newspapers.