Regional news publisher The Atlanta Journal-Constitution hosted the first upfront in its 156-year history last Tuesday, part of a broader effort by the news network to re-introduce itself to audiences and marketers as a modern media company.
The term “upfront” used to refer to a marketing event held by television networks in May to pitch their upcoming programming to advertisers. In recent years, however, the term has expanded to refer to a series of content presentations. Despite this broader evolution, few news publishers have hosted an upfront.
According to Beth Bowers, chief revenue officer, the AJC used the half-day meeting to focus on a number of editorial franchises and build closer, more direct relationships with advertisers.
“It was less about signing deals and more about showing the marketers what the AJC has been doing for the last year and a half,” Bowers said. “They see us as a prestigious newspaper, but we’re a modern media company. It was a kind of coming out party.”
The publisher, which like Axios is owned by privately held Cox Enterprises, recently reinvented its brand and expanded its ambitions.
In January 2023, the company hired former CNN executive Andrew Morse as publisher and president and placed new emphasis on expanding its digital subscriber base, which now includes over 100,000 paying members.
The publisher sees an opportunity to serve as a regional news institution for the South and has invested accordingly, hiring 75 new staff this year. Advertising revenue from its own and operated publishing houses has increased 14% since the beginning of the year, and total revenue is in the high eight figures, according to a person familiar with the finances.
The AJC sees advertising as key to this evolution. Like other premium publishers, it has sought to work more directly with brands and sell multichannel packages that include web, print, newsletters, podcasts and events. By showcasing its offering up front, the publisher hopes to increase the size and number of its marketing partnerships.
Focus on key franchises
The AJC highlighted six key franchises in its upfront, covering categories such as sports, lifestyle and politics.
Politically, Georgia, its political franchise, has gained outsized influence given the key role Georgia plays in the presidential election. It also has a podcast, a travel event series, a newsletter and other distribution channels.
