A high school football advance package that works

By David Arkin
Posted Mar 21, 2010 @ 04:28 PM
Print Comment

The Daily Messenger, a 10,000 circulation GateHouse Media newspaper in upstate New York, has made a big deal out of high school football this month.

The newspaper launched a week-long series recently profiling high school football teams in their coverage area.

The profiling of high school football teams a week before the season starts isn't anything to write home about, as it's a common practice for most GateHouse newspapers.

But the way the newspaper presented content is what makes their effort noteworthy.

Opposed to a 15-inch advance story and a box showcasing a team's schedule, the Daily Messenger went totally alternative.

They took all of the pieces that traditionally would be in an advance story and found an interesting way to package it all.

  • 5 things to know about: There's a variety of content here, including items on key returners, short story lines and more. These are basically notebook items, organized in a very reader-friendly way.
  • Q&A: Of course we have to talk to the coach, but the coach seems so much more interesting in a quick interview.
  • Video: Readers love to see their team in action and their unique video captures some neat moments.
  • Captains: We love faces and the feature at the bottom of the page is great as it showcases the four captains this year, along with essential details on each.
  • Cheerleaders: A nice photo of this year's squad offers a unique element
  • Talk back: The paper gives readers the chance to talk about this year's team in a blog on their web site, which is promoted at the top of the Q&A.

Overall, just a great package. Even the fan who doesn't care about high school football likely finds a reason to dive into this page.

The Daily Messenger, a 10,000 circulation GateHouse Media newspaper in upstate New York, has made a big deal out of high school football this month.

The newspaper launched a week-long series recently profiling high school football teams in their coverage area.

The profiling of high school football teams a week before the season starts isn't anything to write home about, as it's a common practice for most GateHouse newspapers.

But the way the newspaper presented content is what makes their effort noteworthy.

Opposed to a 15-inch advance story and a box showcasing a team's schedule, the Daily Messenger went totally alternative.

They took all of the pieces that traditionally would be in an advance story and found an interesting way to package it all.

  • 5 things to know about: There's a variety of content here, including items on key returners, short story lines and more. These are basically notebook items, organized in a very reader-friendly way.
  • Q&A: Of course we have to talk to the coach, but the coach seems so much more interesting in a quick interview.
  • Video: Readers love to see their team in action and their unique video captures some neat moments.
  • Captains: We love faces and the feature at the bottom of the page is great as it showcases the four captains this year, along with essential details on each.
  • Cheerleaders: A nice photo of this year's squad offers a unique element
  • Talk back: The paper gives readers the chance to talk about this year's team in a blog on their web site, which is promoted at the top of the Q&A.

Overall, just a great package. Even the fan who doesn't care about high school football likely finds a reason to dive into this page.

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