FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Literacy rocks! Just ask the million-plus young readers of Kidsville News! Ask their parents, who’ve been thrilled to discover that this children’s newspaper makes kids eager to read and learn. Ask the educators nationwide, who have enthusiastically incorporated Kidsville News! as part of their schools’ daily curriculum, using it to promote their own character education curriculum.
Ask the publishers that have made Kidsville News! the nation’s fastest growing children’s newspaper, because it turns a profit virtually from the first issue.
And ask Bill Bowman, President of Kidsville News! Inc. During the recent 2008 Kidsville News! Publishers’ Conference, Bowman revealed that circulation of Kidsville News! well exceeded the one million mark. He also announced that the publication is currently undergoing an audit by the Circulation Verification Council (CVC), which will validate circulation and distribution data and place Kidsville News! in the Standard Rates & Data Service (SRDS) directory for the first time.
“Our growth has been phenomenal,” said Bowman, who launched the educational and literacy initiative in Fayetteville, NC in 1998. However, it wasn’t until June 2005 that the publication became available for licensure nationwide. Since that time, it has grown from three editions, with a circulation of 80,000, to 100 editions, with a circulation of nearly 1.3 million, as of January 2008.
“In the last six months of 2007 alone, circulation grew by more than 66%,” says Bowman, noting that the number of editions increased from 70 to 100 during that period, and circulation increased from 792,017 to 1,194,417.
What’s more, the ongoing CVC audit of Kidsville News! indicates that actual readership is even higher than the circulation numbers. Readership survey results in one major market show that the average number of readers per edition is 1.7. Other significant audit results show that 60% of readers keep the monthly publication in their homes for one month or more, and less than 1% of Kidsville News! controlled bulk distribution is returned unclaimed. Income and education levels for reader-households are significantly higher than general market demographics.
Ranging from paid daily newspapers to free community/shopper publications and independents, the publishers of Kidsville News! are in 25 states, coast to coast. They include publishing groups such as CNHI, Freedom Communications, Morris Media, Landmark Communications, Triple Crown Media, and member publishers of Association of Free Community Papers, Independent Free Papers and more.
What has made Kidsville News! the nation’s fastest growing children’s newspaper? Publishers have discovered how quickly and easily it generates profits. Because this free publication is so popular with a large target audience, it’s also an easy sell to sponsors and advertisers. There are no franchise fees or long-term contracts to publish Kidsville News!, and the monthly publication is provided turnkey. Content can be used in its entirety or mixed with local stories. Appealing, high quality graphics are provided fully formatted or as individual elements for customized design.
Contributing to the popularity and fun of Kidsville News! is the publication’s easy-to-use website and its friendly green dragon mascot, “Truman.” This snaggle-toothed hero echoes the love-of-learning message and engenders the loyalty that makes kids Tru-blue readers.
To find out if Kidsville News! is still available for licensure in your area, contact the corporate headquarters Kidsville News!, Inc. at 1-877-4KVNEWS (458-6397) or visit online at http://www.kidsvillenews.com.
[tags]Kidsville News, childrens newspaper, Bill Bowman, green dragon mascot Truman[/tags]
