BJ to launch weekly 77/South

On Thursday, April 28, the first issue of 77 South, the Akron Beacon Journal’s foray into weekly publications, will reach more than 26,000 households in Green, Coventry, Lakemore, Manchester, New Franklinand Springfield. The name, 77 South, refers to the interstate highway that passes through the weekly publication’s circulation area and plays off the fact that Summit County is No. 77 of Ohio’s 88 counties. 77 South will compete head to head with the Suburbanite, which is owned by La Jolla, Calif.-based Copley Press Inc., the parent company of the Canton Repository. Suburbanite officials announced April 4 that the weekly newspaper would cease publishing with its April 25 issue. By April 9, Copley officials had reversed that decision, announcing that the
Suburbanite would continue publishing on a paid-subscription basis or under new ownership. Within two days of the April 4 announcement that the Suburbanite would close, key managers at the Akron Beacon Journal decided to launch 77 South, a weekly publication that would serve the same area as the Suburbanite. The Beacon Journal will move forward with that decision, said Publisher Jim Crutchfield, despite the April 9 announcement of the Copley Press.In a related development, Leader Publications, parent company of the Green Leader, announced plans to expand its coverage into southern Summit County May 6. “77 South will strengthen our competitive advantage in that segment of the community,ö said Editor Debra Adams Simmons. The Beacon Journal newsroom will coordinate news for 77 South with help from correspondents. Beacon Journal advertising representatives will handle advertising sales.”7 South will bring accuracy, fairness and credibility to coverage,” said John Kovatch, vice president/finance and administration, “qualities that some readers say are missing in other weeklies.” Staff members in advertising and marketing have been preparing sales materials and advertising contracts and calling on potential advertisers. Staff members in other areas are pounding out the plans for news and information on a cross divisional task force headed by Kovatch and Andrea Mathewson, production director. ”We expect the newspaper to have the voice of the southern Summit County communities,” said Crutchfield. 77 South will be distributed free to homes, schools, libraries and other community locations.
[Reprinted from Hot Type]