Source just sent me this internal Sun-Sentinel memo, which contains "need-to-know info at the Big S media company" (it's true, the Sentinel really does call itself the "Big S"). In addition to propagating one of the most nauseating (though apt) words in the history of the English language -- "advergame" -- it contains two bits of interesting news:
-- The company's TV station will air three Miami Dolphins games this year and pretty good ones -- Colts, Jets, and Panthers.
-- The newspaper's website folks are concentrating on bringing up the the all-important number of local visitors. They accomplished a rather paltry 5 percent growth this May over May 2009. Interesting statistic: Just 46 percent of the Sentinel website's visitors are local.
Here's the memo (please excuse the font problems):
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From: SS Administration
Sent: Wed 6/10/2009 3:46 PM
To: zzSSC.1Exchange.Users; zzWSFL.Group
Subject: QUICK HITS from the BIG S
Need-to-know info at the Big S Media Company
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SFL-TV is Awarded 3 Miami Dolphin Games
SFL recently won a bid to air three NFL games: September 21st Dolphins vs. Colts, October 12th Dolphins vs. Jets, and on November 19th Dolphins vs. Panthers. NFL games provide great prime-time exposure and the games are expected to place SFL in the limelight like never before in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale designated market area! Additionally, this will give us the opportunity to provide our advertisers the chance to showcase themselves during one of the most-widely viewed fourth quarter events. We'll also leverage the opportunity to promote SouthFlorida.com/LIVE and the station itself. Cross-media sales packages are now being put together and should be available to advertising representatives soon.
SunSentinel.com Local Visits Up; SouthFlorida.com Rapidly Rising
While page view growth remains important for our Web sites, one of the key goals for SunSentinel.com in 2009 is increasing local visits to the site. So far in 2009, 46% of SunSentinel.com's total visits were local visits. In May 2009, the site saw local visits increase 5% over May 2008. While this is a step in the right direction, we will continue to grow that number throughout the year.
This May, SouthFlorida.com saw an increase of 97% over May 2008. Plus, unique visitors were up 266% over May 2008.
Sun Sentinel receives 12 Sunshine State Awards
Sun Sentinel recently took home 12 Sunshine State Awards from the South Florida chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, including four first-place finishes. Congratulations to all the winners: Carey Wagner, Robert Duyos, Cindy Jones-Hulfachor, Karsten Ivey, Len DeGroot, Tim Frank, Andy Reid, Megan O'Matz, Mike Clary, Carline Jean, Bob LaMendola, Chan Lowe, Andrew Innerarity, Anthony Man, Scott Wyman, Brittany Wallman and Russell Small.
