About Mark Mathes

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Mark Mathes, editor and publisher, began his newspaper career at age 11 at his father’s newspaper, The Daily Star, Hammond, La., one of the first offset newspapers in the world and a consistent award winner for editorial excellence. His full-time journalistic career at newspapers spans 41 years.  He has been a senior editor at 8 publications and Web services. He has pioneered new media from audiotext (1987) to Web launches (1994) and international Web syndication (1995). He founded Community News Publications in 1999, growing from 2 monthlies to 8 weeklies and 3 nonweeklies to become the largest independent community news group in Tampa Bay with $3.7 million in revenue by 2008.

 

 

Specialties: Editing; Publishing: Dailies, Weeklies, Niche Publications; Internet Strategies, Launches; Advertising; Distribution; Competitive Analysis; Design; Contracts; Comics & International Syndication; Photojournalism; Licensing; Book Publishing; Affiliate Marketing.

 

Editor, publisher, owner Community News Publications, Tampa Bay 1999-Current

Converted two monthlies with $300,000 to grow to 8 weeklies, senior bi-weekly, nudist publication/Web site Pasco Naturally, tourism/newcomer publications, Fact Book. Developed staff from 1 to 22+ 40 independent contractors. Established VIP delivery system for efficient, low-cost delivery of publications. Established CVC circulation audit. Established editing and production systems to edit 8 community weeklies, average size 48 pages, 3 nonweeklies. Established marketing programs. Managed P/L daily. Reinvested dividends to grow the company successfully. The company is being sold in 1Q 2011. Consistent award winner for editorial excellence in Florida.

 

Consultant, ctoons.com, Boston 1999-2000

Created strategy and operations for start-up to create, license and distribute animated comics and editorial cartoons on the Web. Successfully negotiated with syndicates and creators, Web services and comics publishers.

 

Editor, Tribune Media Services, Chicago 1994-99

At the international licensing and syndication arm of Tribune Company in Chicago, edited Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonists like Jeff MacNelly, Don Wright and Walt Handelsman and columnist Mike Royko. Edited in print and online 200 columnists and creators ranging from Carl Hiaasen to the Clarence Page, Chris Matthews and Pulitzer winner Kathleen Parker, who he signed into syndication.  Others: Jumble puzzle to Mother Goose and Grimm’s Mike Peters as well as classic properties like Dick Tracy, Brenda Starr, Gil Thorp and Gasoline Alley. Developed early Web comics animation with creators and developers as well as multi-media corporations including iVillage, Excite, Discovery, TV Guide, Knight Ridder-Tribune.

 

Editor & consultant, NaplesNews.com, Naples, Fla./Scripps 1994

Managed the successful launch of this mid-sized newspaper in Florida’s luxury Tech Corridor. Wrote and edited Terms of Service, edited content, wrote/edited consumer promotion campaign in print, broadcast, Web.

 

Editor & consultant, Suncoast Media Group, Port Charlotte, Fla. 1994, 1999

Developed successful strategies and operations for categories including transportation, real estate, lifestyle, business and boating for one of the first Florida newspapers on the Web. Developed consumer marketing campaign.

 

Editor & consultant, News-Journal Center, Daytona Beach 1994

Managed the successful launch of Florida’s second newspaper to go online. Wrote Terms of Service, edited content to stylebook, wrote/edited Users Guide and the consumer promotion campaign in print, broadcast and Web.

 

Executive editor, Ocala Star-Banner/New York Times Co. 1986-94

Recruited, developed writers, editors, photojournalists in expansion of staff from 28 to 56. Created Star-Banner Stylebook and Operations Manual. Edited dozens of stories daily, all special reports, series. As executive editor, led the successful AM conversion of the New York Times Co.-newspaper in 1986 and managed the newspaper’s redesign and move to a $23 million plant and new presses nine months later. The Star-Banner set records for circulation and revenue growth, editorial excellence and development of staff members who happened to be minorities or women. Pioneered electronic storage/retrieval of archives for NYT Co. Launched over a dozen special interest publications from Fact Book to Ocala Inc. to Horse Country to Discovery and pioneered audiotext for the NYT Regional Newspaper Group.

 

Managing editor, The Ledger, Lakeland, Fla./New York Times Co. 1980-86

Managing editor of The Ledger in Lakeland, Fla., one of the largest New York Times Regional Newspapers and among the Top 10 fastest growing US dailies for three straight years. Recruited, developed staff from 32 to 66 plus freelancers. Wrote and edited Ledger Stylebook and Operations Manual. Edited dozens of stories daily, all investigative reports, series which were consistent Florida and national award winners. Founding editor of Fact Book in 1982, a template for annual reference publications in the 36-newspaper NYT Co. and widely copied by Orange County Register, Memphis Commercial-Appeal and dozens of others.

 

Sunday managing editor and editorial page editor 

The Sun/The Daily Herald, Biloxi-Gulfport, Miss. 1975-80

Wrote daily editorials. Edited average 90 stories weekly as the newspapers achieved record circulation. Received Miss. Press Award for an editorial condemning the KKK and the local school board. Managed journalists from competitive AM and PM newsrooms to create successful combined Sunday editions. Created commemorative Remembering Hurricane Camille.

 

Managing editor, sports editor, chief photographer, The Daily Star, Hammond, La. 1968-75

Launched Sunday edition 1975. Edited all local copy for daily newspaper. Wrote 2 front page stories daily. Wrote daily editorials. Wrote game stories, features as sports editor.  Photographed average 5 news events daily. The Daily Star one of the first offset newspapers in the world and a consistent award winner in Louisiana and the US.

 

Circulation manager, The Daily Star, Hammond, La. 1968-73

Built home delivery, single copy and non-subscriber systems. During this period the newspaper reached a record 7,000 ABC paid. In Ponchatoula, circulation reached 1,115 paid subscriptions of 1,200 occupied homes.

 

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Mark has a son Andy, a midshipman in the US Naval Academy Class of 2010, Annapolis and now a USMC 2nd Lieutenant, and daughter Rachel, who graduated from CDS Prep and now studies photography and art at Stetson University.

This was simply the best workshop that I have participated in during my 41 years of publishing. I make this conclusion after participating in API, Poynter, ASNE, APME, and training programs at the New York Times Co. , Tribune and others. I intend to be an evangelist for the skills and learnings from KDMC for my own staff and contributors, for colleagues, for friends and family and for my community. I now know of the extraordinary depth and breadth of KDMC and the UC-Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and the Knight Foundation, which makes all of this possible. I could not have participated without the Knight Foundation funding.

Stories

Digital media stories published elsewhere by Mark Mathes:

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Writing

Content on this site written by Mark Mathes (includes contributory writing):

    • Testimonials

    This was simply the best workshop that I have participated in during my 41 years of publishing. I make this conclusion after participating in API, Poynter, ASNE, APME, and training programs at the New York Times Co. , Tribune and others. I intend to be an evangelist for the skills and learnings from KDMC for my own staff and contributors, for colleagues, for friends and family and for my community. I now know of the extraordinary depth and breadth of KDMC and the UC-Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and the Knight Foundation, which makes all of this possible. I could not have participated without the Knight Foundation funding.

  • Presentations

    (only presentations with slides or webcasts are listed)