Three Minute Story & Big Idea: Tennessee Counties Magazine

From: Wesley Doyle, Communications Specialist for TCSA

To: Tennessee County Services Association Board

TCSA has partnered with Innovative Publishing, based out of Louisville,

Kentucky, to publish a semi-annual magazine titled Tennessee Counties

Magazine to its audiences.

Why the change in publication? Times and reading habits have changed since

TCSA first introduced the Tennessee County News nearly 25 years ago. This

newspaper-style format was one of the only ways to distribute news when it was

originally launched, but the ways that readers engage with organizations have

changed drastically since then.

2021 consumer data shows that readers are more engaged with short-form

content (Deloitte Insights, 2022). TCSA has already pivoted its more frequent

news distribution to online mediums such as social media and email newsletters.

Since launching these online channels, the association has shown great success

in overall engagement with readers; however, several TCSA members have

expressed wishes to maintain a form of printed communication with TCSA’s

3,000+ members and partners across the state.

Why will Tennessee Counties Magazine be released semi-annually? This

new magazine style will feature content for the new age of communication, with

exciting graphics and photos with grander updates from TCSA for its members.

This model is more cost-effective and sustainable for the association. Within the

magazine, there will be exciting content concerning such things as

• program updates,

• partnership opportunities,

• conference announcements,

• legislative agendas,

• and other important updates for the membership.

If successful (based on partner advertisements), the magazine could soon be

released quarterly to its members; however, TCSA has no plans to return to the

bi-monthly publication models that the Tennessee County News newspaper used.

This model was not cost-effective for TCSA, nor was it sustainable in today’s world.

Big Idea: The old ways of newspaper print publication that first worked 25 years

ago for TCSA no longer apply relevant consumer trends for TCSA’s readership;

therefore, TCSA is working to create a semi-annually released magazine that

correlates with modern consumer trends and member needs in 2022.