Black Newspaper Publishers Announce Website Initiative

Posted on May 16, 2001

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) has unveiled an initiative to develop customized websites for its more than 200 member newspapers. The three-year initiative, NNPA officials say, will help bridge the ``digital media divide'' and will provide black newspapers with online publishing technology. The online effort will be developed by the BlackPressUSA Network, a project of the NNPA Foundation's Black Press Institute, and Xchange Interactive (XIGroup), its technology partner.

John J. Oliver, president of the NNPA, which represents more than 200 African-American newspapers across the country, said the online initiative is ``urgently'' needed if the Black Press is to remain relevant and viable to their communities.

``Less than 10 percent of Black newspapers have a regularly maintained website,'' said Oliver, who also is the publisher of the Washington Afro-American and Baltimore Afro-American. ``We are determined to bring our member newspapers into the 21st century and to continue their historic role as the official recorder of the African- American experience.''

The initial rollout, which will bring 10 Black newspapers online initially and up to 50 online by the end of the summer, is made possible by $125,000 in funding from UPS. In addition to establishing the customized websites through innovative online publishing technology, funding also will be used to train newspaper staffs to continuously update and maintain the sites. Additional sponsors are being sought to provide funding for the development of websites for the remaining 150 NNPA newspapers.

Under the program, the XIGroup will construct and host the BlackPressUSA Network website and develop a number of templates for use by NNPA member papers. Local papers will be able to customize their sites and develop content relevant to their communities. Papers within the network will be able to share content with one another, in addition to receiving feeds from the NNPA and its news distribution services.

Ben Jealous, executive director of the NNPA Foundation, said the initiative is designed to address three barriers to online publishing: high start-up costs, complicated technology and continuous revenue streams. Jealous also noted that the BlackPressUSA Network also would provide budding journalists an opportunity to contribute content to the various newspapers and websites across the country. These ``correspondents,'' according to Jealous, will help to increase the overall news content on issues that affect the African-American community. Jealous said the sites will include a number of special sections, including Black history, special reports, financial information, Black college sports coverage, a resume and job posting service, personal ads and chat rooms.