Editor’s Note: Prime’s 5th Year

Posted on April 1, 2014 by bob in EdNote

This month Prime begins its fifth year of publishing, a milestone in our eyes. The way Prime disappears from the more than 270 area distribution points, we know our “birthday” is significant to you, our readers, as well.

When we embarked on this magazine journey in September 2009 (there were several months of planning before the April 2010 issue hit the streets), we had a few notions about the preferences of people making their way through “…midlife and beyond.” We had a pretty good handle on the type of information this demographic wanted/needed to know. It didn’t hurt that we were members of our own target market.

During this publishing journey we’ve learned important lessons. Two, in particular, stand-out: 1) there’s no such thing as an issue with no typos; 2) success breeds imitation.
As longtime print and TV journalists, we’re proud each issue of Prime has served to reinforce our belief that good stories, told without real or apparent bias toward, or influence from, advertisers, continues to guide the publication. We’re heartened our readers – with their written and verbal comments – recognize and appreciate this difference inherent in Prime.

As we approach our fifth year of publishing, with 44 issues under our belts, five observations come to mind:

1) Readers care about solid information provided in an easy-to-read, visually appealing format and style. Prime’s content is 85% local. It’s about “us,” the people who live here, businesses that succeed here, history that was created here. From stories about Normandale and Eastbrook to the Big BAM music shows, from expert advice offered by our columnists (your neighbors) to 1960s-era Lee/Lanier football games, from articles about our home-grown personalities to the history we commonly share, Prime is quintessentially “us.”

2) The “45+” audience is an important, vibrant, socially and economically active segment of the population, with much to offer, and from which much can be learned.

3) There are more personalities, history, events and organizations worthy of writing about than we’ll ever find time to present to our readers.

4) Former residents still want to know about their hometown, from our subscribers in the neighboring states of Florida, Mississippi, Georgia and Tennessee, to Faye, living in Hawaii, who recently wrote — “As a “displaced” Montgomerian, I enjoy getting Prime very much.”

5) Success breeds imitation. At least six additional free publications have sprung up in the River Region since Prime issued its first copy. We’re confident Prime serves its target demographic better than any other free publications in this area, and suggest you take a copy of each and review them as a group. We think you’ll agree Prime is far and away the most reader-centered, entertaining, informative publication in the River Region.

Each year of Prime’s existence we’ve had the honor of receiving national awards for writing, design, photography, and other aspects of magazine production. We did this by telling your stories, by listening to your suggestions for which stories we should tell, and by keeping your interests at the heart of what we do.

Thanks for taking a moment to pick up Prime, and for keeping it in your home and enjoying it each month. We hope to provide you another five – and more – years of journalism worthy of our readers.

Sandra Polizos, Editor