GateHouse Media Plans to Hire 100 Additional Digital Sales Reps as Digital Audience Growth, Enhanced Web Site Performance Lead to Greater Advertiser Opportunities

NEW YORK, Nov. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- GateHouse Media, publisher of over 525 local news websites and over 600 local community publications, today announced a major initiative to hire up to 100 digital sales executives in the coming months to better serve its growing roster of over 200,000 business customers across the U.S. Many of the digital enhancements GateHouse has implemented will also allow the Company to begin targeting national advertisers seeking digital solutions at scale in a trusted editorial environment.

Over the past six months, GateHouse has rolled out a complete redesign of all 500+ web sites in its portfolio.  The redesign, in partnership with internationally-known design firm Garcia Media, includes a clean, modern look, fully-responsive design, faster load times and fewer, higher-value ad positions. And all GateHouse sites will now be powered by a single CMS and utilize a single ad serving platform. The redesign has already led to a 100% increase in ad viewability and coupled with GateHouse's access to first-party data, has led to significantly improved ad engagement.

"GateHouse has many longstanding print advertising partners who, for the first time, are looking to us as a digital partner to reach our 40 million online readers," said Peter Newton, GateHouse Chief Revenue Officer. "In addition, there are literally thousands of national and regional marketers who haven't worked with GateHouse newspapers who are now being introduced to our high-quality, engaging and exclusive digital sites and audience."

As part of its strategy to provide one-stop digital marketing solutions to regional and national marketers, GateHouse has begun the process of hiring up to 100 digital-only sales executives. Working with the over 1,000 GateHouse sales executives already in the field throughout the U.S., these digital sales executives will focus on local, regional and national advertisers who are seeking to reach engaged consumers in any or all of GateHouse's 500+ markets. And with GateHouse's own audience extension platform, Adhance, the Company is well-suited to deliver the audience advertisers want to reach anywhere, anytime and on any device.

In addition to delivering engaged readers in hundreds of communities, the GateHouse Digital sales team will be offering small and medium-sized businesses the services of Propel Marketing. Recently named one of only 50 Google AdWords Premier Partners, and the only new Premier Partner in 2016, Google recognized Propel not only for the extraordinary growth but also for the quality of customer service they provide. As a Premier Partner, Propel meets Google's highest standards and criteria for qualification, transparency and customer service, which includes completing extensive Google product and account management training. This ensures Propel can provide small businesses with the most effective AdWords advertising solutions.

About GateHouse Media, LLC
GateHouse Media, headquartered in Pittsford, New York, is a wholly owned subsidiary of New Media Investment Group Inc., which is focused primarily on investing in a high quality, diversified portfolio of local media assets and on growing existing advertising and digital marketing businesses. GateHouse Media is one of the largest publishers of locally based print and online media in the United States as measured by its 121 daily publications. As of September 25, 2016, the Company operates in over 525 markets across 36 states. New Media's portfolio of products, as of September 25, 2016, includes over 600 business and community publications and over 525 websites, serves more than 200,000 business advertising accounts, and reaches 20 million people on a weekly basis. For more information regarding GateHouse Media, please visit www.gatehousemedia.com.

Contact
GateHouse Media
Alain Begun
585-626-0230
[email protected]

SOURCE GateHouse Media, LLC

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