The San Diego Community Newspaper Group, publisher of seven local newspapers throughout San Diego County, has added an eighth. The College Times Courier, with a circulation of 10,000, will cover news happening in San Diego’s Rolando and College communities near San Diego State University. It will publish on the third Friday of the month.
According to SDCNG publisher Julie Main, the College Times Courier was created in response to community members and business leaders who approached her about resuming newspaper coverage and distribution in the College Area.
For several years, the Mission Times Courier had included the College area in its distribution under previous publisher Jim Madaffer. After he sold the paper to San Diego Community Newspaper Network, new publisher David Mannis consolidated coverage and distribution to Grantville, Allied Gardens, Del Cerro and San Carlos. When Main recently took over the Mission Times Courier, she decided against changing the distribution, believing the College Area deserved a new publication of its own.
“I feel this is a good addition to our community coverage of the east side of San Diego,” said Main. “It bridges the gap nicely between the Mission Times Courier to the north of Interstate 8 and east with La Mesa Courier. There are a lot of school districts and shared interests between these well-established communities.”
College Times Courier’s editorial team will be led by Jeff Clemetson, currently also editor of the Mission Times Courier and La Mesa Courier newspapers.
“I love the fact that College area communities are nestled between the regions I already cover,” said Clemetson. “There’s some continuity there, but it has always been obvious to me that College Area has its own characteristics, and now that I’ve been on the beat for the last few weeks, I’ve been excited to discover a community rich with new stories to write about and share with readers.”
In March, Main’s newspaper group acquired the Mission Times Courier, San Diego Uptown News, La Mesa Courier and San Diego Downtown News. The group was already publishing the La Jolla Village News, Beach & Bay Press, and Peninsula Beacon.
KFMB-FM Promotes Karen ‘Cha-Cha’ Harlow to Afternoons
KFMB 100.7-FM has promoted Karen Harlow to full-time, weekday on-air host. Mike Vasquez, director of programming at KFMB-FM, said Harlow, who goes by the nickname “Cha Cha,” will host from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
“Cha Cha has added so much energy to our team, while filling in on a part-time basis, and we’re excited to now have her on-air every day,” said Vazquez. “Her passion is contagious to the staff and the audience. Radio should be fun and she epitomizes fun.”
Harlow, who has worked in radio for about 40 years, joined KFMB-FM in July for weekend, fill-in roles. Previously, she was at XPRS 105.7 MAX-FM since June 2016 before that station went off the air in December 2018.
“The first time back on-air at 100.7, I realized just how much being on the radio means to me,” said Harlow. “The love from San Diego has been amazing, and I’m 100 percent ready to do whatever it takes to entertain the audience on the drive home. I’m feeling truly blessed.”
The native San Diegan and SDSU graduate started her radio career in the 1980s with San Diego’s XHTZ-FM Z-90 for 12 years followed by KHTS-FM Channel 93.3 for 10 years. She then worked in Los Angeles as an anchor and reporter on KNX-AM 1070 Newsradio before joining MAX-FM.
2 San Diego Ad Firms Named to Fastest Growing List
Two San Diego advertising agencies, Mindgruve and Basic, have been named to Adweek’s top 100 Fastest Growing Agencies list. Agencies from around the globe were recognized by the trade publication for achieving exceptional revenue growth over the past three years. To be eligible, agencies provided three years of earned revenue from 2016 to 2018 and had to have at least $250,000 of revenue in 2016.
Basic was listed #18 with a growth rate of 355 percent, and Mindgruve ranked #71 with growth of 98 percent.
Adweek senior editor Doug Zanger wrote, “It’s not easy being an ad agency these days. Changing models, consultancies, procurement, performance-based marketing, in-housing, project work versus agency of record. And yet, Adweek’s inaugural Fastest Growing Agencies list proves that it’s still possible to not only rise to these challenges but to succeed wildly.”
Celebration of Life Planned for Glen Broom, PR Industry Pioneer
A celebration of life memorial service for San Diego State University Professor Glen Broom, a pioneer and academic giant in the worldwide public relations industry, will be held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at San Diego State University in the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center, 5250 55th St. Guests can RSVP online.
In almost 40 years at SDSU, Broom mentored hundreds of students who went on to PR careers. In addition, thousands of others around the world have used the textbook, “Cutlip and Center’s Effective Public Relations,” now in its 11th edition and published in 10 languages. Broom was the lead author for the last six editions.
After retiring in 2008, he was serving as professor emeritus at SDSU’s School of Journalism and Media Studies when he passed away from a heart attack in August while vacationing in Colorado. He was 78. Remembrances, stories and tributes can be sent to Glen Broom’s wife Betty at Broom19402019@gmail.com.
In lieu of gifts or flowers, the family has requested donations be made to The Campanile Foundation for the Glen M. Broom Center for Professional Development in Public Relations Endowment. Information about the campaign is available online.
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.
