Swift Communications Inc. is an American

digital marketing Digital marketing is the component of marketing that uses the Internet and online-based Information technology, digital technologies such as desktop computers, mobile phones, and other digital media and platforms to promote products and service ...

and

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

publishing company based in

Carson City, Nevada Carson City, officially the Carson City Consolidated Municipality, is an Independent city (United States), independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 58,63 ...

. Swift's primary markets are

resort town A resort town, resort city or resort destination is an urban area where tourism or vacationing is the primary component of the local culture and economy. A typical resort town has one or more actual resorts in the surrounding area. Sometimes ...

tabloid newspapers and websites as well as agricultural publications. Swift Communications has been noted for "being outside of the mainstream" and "drawing national attention inside the industry" for disabling commenting and implementing

paywalls A paywall is a method of restricting access to content, with a purchase or a paid subscription, especially news. Beginning in the mid-2010s, newspapers started implementing paywalls on their websites as a way to increase revenue after years of ...

on most of its online newspaper's websites. Swift also prints

advertorials An advertorial is an advertisement in the form of editorial content. The term "advertorial" is a blend (see portmanteau) of the words "advertisement" and "editorial". Merriam-Webster dates the origin of the word to 1946. In printed publications, ...

, catalogs, realtor magazines and phone book advertising.

History

Swift Newspapers was founded by Philip Swift in 1975. Swift, a former executive at the Scripps League of Newspapers, exchanged his equity interests in the company for ownership of two daily newspapers, ''

The News-Review ''The News-Review'' is a five-day-a-week community newspaper published in Roseburg, Oregon, United States. The circulation area covers all of Douglas County including Canyonville, Glide, Myrtle Creek, Oakland, Roseburg, Sutherlin, and Win ...

'' and ''Tahoe Daily Tribune.'' After dozens of acquisitions and mergers over the years, Swift amassed a large number of print publications and in 1991 the company began concentrating on the

resort A resort (North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that aims to provide most of a vacationer's needs. This includes food, drink, swimming, accommodation, sports, entertainment and shopping, on the premises. A hotel ...

sector by launching ''Tahoe.com'' and ''Reno.com''. In 2006, the company changed their name to Swift Communications. On December 31, 2021, Swift Communications was acquired by

Ogden Newspapers Ogden Newspapers Inc. is a Wheeling, West Virginia based publisher of daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, telephone directories, and shoppers guides. It has operations in California, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, ...

, a

Wheeling, West Virginia Wheeling is a city in Ohio County, West Virginia, Ohio and Marshall County, West Virginia, Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The county seat of Ohio County, it lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mo ...

-based publisher of daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, telephone directories, and shoppers guides throughout 18 states.

Controversies

Bob Berwyn firing

In November 2009 Bob Berwyn, a journalist for the ''Summit Daily News,'' wrote a column which criticized the marketing practices of Vail Resorts, one of the paper's largest advertisers. He was fired shortly after the writing the article. Berwyn claimed it was over his column, but the company claimed he was fired over “a series of events.” This firing was widely derided in the Colorado media.

Removal of user comments

In May, 2011 after gathering analytics, metrics and revenue data on their commenting platform investment, Swift reviewed the data and decided to remove the

user-generated content User-generated content (UGC), alternatively known as user-created content (UCC), emerged from the rise of web services which allow a system's User (computing), users to create Content (media), content, such as images, videos, audio, text, testi ...

(UGC) platform Pluck from all online newspapers owned by Swift Communications. The ability for readers to leave comments about articles was removed. Editors with Swift felt the inability of their content management software to restrict comments they did not approve of was impacting newsroom productivity and civil community conversation. Anthony Collebrusco from the ''Digital News Test Kitchen'' at CU-Boulder's School of Journalism & Mass Communication which is involved in researching a viable means of limiting the

pseudonymity A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's ow ...

and unconditional

free speech Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recognise ...

of commenters on Swift's websites paraphrased Swift's policy as: In Fall of 2011, the ''Aspen Times'' re-enabled anonymous commenting for users with an active

Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...

account.

Inflated ad rates

Swift Communications has been accused of stifling competition and setting artificially inflated ad rates by consolidating and closing small-town newspapers. Steve Lipsher, former editor of the ''Summit Daily News'' said in 2008 that "If you're an advertiser in places like Summit County, they're the only game in town" and in 2009, Swift-owned newspapers had 90% market share in Eagle County. Swift has also been criticized for over-charging for obituary listings.

Media properties

*''Colorado Mountain News Media'' in

Gypsum, Colorado The Town of Gypsum is the List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality that is the List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, Eagle County, Colorado, United Stat ...

*Wasatch Mountain News Media in

Park City, Utah Park City is a city in Utah, United States. Most of the city is within Summit County, Utah, Summit County, with some portions extending into Wasatch County, Utah, Wasatch County. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is sou ...

*''The Fencepost Company'' in

Greeley, Colorado Greeley is the home rule municipality city that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Weld County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 108,795 at the 2020 United States census, an increase of 17.12% since the ...

**''Acres USA'' in Austin, Texas **''Countryside Publications'' in Medford, Wisconsin *''Nevada County Publishing Company'' in

Grass Valley, California Grass Valley is a city in Nevada County, California, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 14,016. Situated at roughly in elevation in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, this norther ...

Publications

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

*''Sierra Sun'' *''Tahoe Daily Tribune''

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

*''

Aspen Times ''The Aspen Times'' is a free, 6,500-circulation daily newspaper in the ski resort town of Aspen, Colorado, United States, with a history dating back to 1881. History The Aspen Weekly Times' first issue was published April 23, 1881 when Aspen w ...

'' in

Aspen, Colorado Aspen is the List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule city that is the county seat and the List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous municipality of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The city population ...

*''Craig Press'' in Craig, Colorado *''Citizen Telegram'' in

Rifle, Colorado Rifle is a home-rule municipality in, and the most populous community of, Garfield County, Colorado, United States. Its population was 10,437 at the 2020 census. Rifle is a regional center of the cattle-ranching industry located along Inters ...

*''Eagle Valley Enterprise'' in Eagle, Colorado *''Fence Post'' in

*'' Glenwood Springs Post Independent'' in

Glenwood Springs, Colorado Glenwood Springs is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality and the county seat of Garfield County, Colorado, Garfield County, Colorado, United States. According to the 2020 United States census, the ...

*''Sky-Hi News'' in

Granby, Colorado The Town of Granby is the List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory town, Statutory Town that is the List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous municipality in Grand County, Colorado, Grand County, Colorado, United States. The town pop ...

*'' Steamboat Pilot & Today'' in

Steamboat Springs, Colorado Steamboat Springs is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Routt County, Colorado, United States. The population was 13,224 at the 2020 census. Steamboat Springs is the principal city of the Ste ...

*''Snowmass Sun'' in

Snowmass Village, Colorado Snowmass Village is a home rule municipality in Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The population was 3,096 at the 2020 census. A popular winter resort location for skiing and snowboarding, the town is well known as the location of the ...

*''Summit Daily News'' in

Frisco, Colorado Frisco is a home rule municipality located in Summit County, Colorado, United States. The population was 2,913 at the 2020 census. Frisco is a part of the Breckenridge, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is a popular town among skiers from a ...

*''

Vail Daily ''The Vail Daily'' is a newspaper in Eagle County, Colorado first published in 1981. Its primary digital platform is VailDaily.com, and it also publishes a 15,000-circulation, free-distribution newspaper seven days a week. The newspaper covers t ...

'' in

Vail, Colorado Vail is a Home rule in the United States, home rule municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,835 in 2020. Home to Vail Ski Resort, the largest ski mountain in Colorado, the ...

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

*''Nebraska Fence Post''

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

*''Farmer & Rancher Exchange'' *''Tri-State Livestock News''

Newspaper sales, closures & cutbacks

In late 2008, Colorado Mountain News Media, a subsidiary of Swift, reduced their staff by 20% through attrition, retirement &

layoff A layoff or downsizing is the temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an employee or, more commonly, a group of employees (collective layoff) for business reasons, such as personnel management or downsizing an organization ...

s, shuttering numerous small town papers. Swift has consolidated many newspapers and closed many others: *''Summit County Journal'' in

(no longer published) *''Leadville Chronicle'' in

Leadville, Colorado Leadville ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory city, statutory city that is the county seat, the most populous community, and the only List of municipalities in Colorado, incorporated municipality in Lake County, Colorado, Lak ...

(no longer published) *''Northern Colorado Tribune'' (no longer published) *''La Tribuna'' in

(no longer published) was named "best weekly in the country" in 2006 but was merged with the now defunct ''Greeley Now'' newspaper for not being "economically viable" in early 2008. *''Windsor Tribune'' in

Windsor, Colorado Windsor is a Colorado municipalities#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality in Larimer County, Colorado, Larimer and Weld County, Colorado, Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. According to the 2020 census, the population of the ...

(no longer published) *''Grand Junction Free Press'' in

Grand Junction, Colorado Grand Junction is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality that is the county seat and largest city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction's population was 65,560 at the 2020 United St ...

(no longer published) *''Vail Trail'' in

(no longer published) *''Valley Journal'' in

Carbondale, Colorado The Town of Carbondale is a home rule municipality located in Garfield County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 6,434 at the 2020 United States census. Carbondale is a part of the Rifle, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. The t ...

(no longer published) *''Fort Collins Now'' (formerly ''Fort Collins Weekly'') in

Fort Collins, Colorado Fort Collins is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality in Larimer County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. The population was 169,810 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, an i ...

(no longer published) *''Middle Park Times'' in

Kremmling, Colorado The Town of Kremmling is a Statutory Town in Grand County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 1,509 at the 2020 United States census. The town sits along the upper Colorado River in the lower arid section of Middle Park betwe ...

(no longer published) *''Tahoe World'' in Lake Tahoe, California (no longer published) *''

'' in

Roseburg, Oregon Roseburg is the most populous city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Oregon. It is located in the Umpqua River Valley in southern Oregon. Founded in 1851, the population was 23,683 at the 2020 census, making it the principal city of th ...

was sold to Lotus Media Group in 2015. *''The Nevada Appeal'', the ''Lahontan Valley News'', ''The Record-Courier'' and ''Northern Nevada Business View'' were sold to Pacific Publishing Company in 2019. *''Greeley Tribune'' was sold to

MediaNews Group MNG Enterprises, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Digital First Media and MediaNews Group, is a Denver, Colorado, United States–based newspaper publisher owned by Alden Global Capital. As of May 2021, it owns over 100 newspapers and 200 ass ...

in 2020. *'' The Union was'' sold to Gold Hill California Media in 2022. *'' Park Record'' was sold to Tatiana and

Matthew Prince Matthew Browning Prince (born ) is an American billionaire businessman and executive. He is the co-founder, executive chairman, and chief executive officer of the technology company Cloudflare. With a net worth of billion Prince is the wealth ...

in 2023.

References

External links

Swift Communications
(official website) {{Swift Communications Newspaper companies of the United States Mass media in Carson City, Nevada American companies established in 1975 1975 establishments in Nevada

History

Controversies

Bob Berwyn firing

Removal of user comments

Inflated ad rates

Media properties

Publications

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

Newspaper sales, closures & cutbacks

See also

References

External links