Stop the presses! Herald grows audience
At moments of crisis and triumph and in times of disbelief, confusion or even just curiosity, people in a community turn to a newspaper for the who, what, where, when and why.
For more than a century, the Calgary Herald has engaged readers through its commitment to accuracy and integrity reaching more than 550,000 Calgarians each week through print, online, digital and mobile platforms.
“After 129 years, I think it’s fair to say we are part of the fabric of this city,” says Calgary Herald publisher Guy Huntingford. “We are one of the most recognized voices in the city and are respected by most as the newspaper of record. When there’s a big story that is breaking, people turn to us.”
The print edition of the Calgary Herald provides local, national and international news, as well as offering specialty publications including Swerve Magazine, TV listings, flyers and more. Of course, the transformation of information delivery has also impacted the newspaper business, and the Calgary Herald now gives its readers access to news through a multitude of mediums, so Calgarians can find the news on their doorstep but also in their inbox, on their desktop, laptop, e-reader and mobile device.
“With the rise of the digital space, we’re really trying to make sure we make the news accessible across all platforms for our readers,” says Huntingford. “And breaking news has never been easier to follow than it is now.”
The website is optimized for mobile devices and is updated throughout the day with exclusive breaking news and also provides access to photo galleries, videos, archives and forums that allow users to read, share and post comments.
Providing readers with myriad ways to stay informed is a priority for the public and for business, says Huntingford, and content has to be trustworthy, timely and relevant, regardless of how or where it is delivered.
“We have an important role in this city,” he says. “Whether we’re reporting on City Hall or are giving local business a voice, people trust us to tell them what they need to know.”
He says the future of the newspaper industry is exciting and the Herald is continuing to shift toward more community journalism.
Supporting and partnering with the community has been a priority all along. Initiatives such as the Calgary Herald Christmas Fund have touched many lives over the years, raising more than $19.2 million for local charities since 1991.
Strong relationships with key organizations in the city are also important, he says. “Calgary Economic Development and the Calgary Herald both have similar mandates in many ways. We both want to see growth — we want to grow our readership and be the brand the business community turns to when they want information and Calgary Economic Development wants to see the business community thrive and grow bringing new businesses into the city and help them assimilate. We can both help each other achieve these goals.”