- Who are we?
- What is our mission?
- What's our circulation?
- What about advertising?
- When are the deadlines?
- How can I get a public service announcement?
Who are we?
The Beacon is the hometown twice-a-week newspaper serving West Volusia. The paper is published each Monday and Thursday, and arrives in subscribers' homes across West Volusia on Tuesdays and Fridays, with delivery guaranteed by the United States Postal Service.
In addition to mail-delivery to subscribers, single copies of The Beacon are sold at more than 120 locations across West Volusia.
Our office is at 110 W. New York Ave., DeLand FL 32720
Our mailing address is P.O. Box 2397, DeLand FL 32721-2397
Phone: (386) 734-4622
Fax: (386) 734-4641
E-mail: info@beacononlinenews.com
What is our mission?
We founded The Beacon in 1992 to give the communities of West Volusia their own independent, locally owned newspaper. Our publishers, our staff members and our stockholders live and work here.
We are West Volusia's voice in the important issues facing our very special area of Volusia County and Central Florida. The interests of West Volusia, not our own interests as newspaper owners or staff members, are our prime concern.
The Beacon is also a community forum. Our letters-to-the-editor column, our club news and family news, our religion news, our Web site, our calendar and our advertising opportunities are yours to use, to make the important connections that build a strong community. We do a lot of reporting of news from the County Council and city commissions and city councils in West Volusia, but we also like to spotlight achievements great and small by local residents.
Politically, The Beacon is neither right nor left. We respect the views of both. We do not censor those opinions with which we do not agree. Our own editorials concern local issues that, most often, defy categorization under either the strictly liberal or conservative banners. We recognize that community growth, progress and healing usually take place in the center, under the banner of respect, rather than at polar extremes.
We believe West Volusia - its natural resources and its quality of life - should be appreciated and defended. We believe the people who live here should be informed, because they will direct the community's future.
Our mission involves you. Your support enables us to serve. We invite you to become a subscriber and/or an advertiser, and to contribute your letters and your news.
E-mail: info@beacononlinenews.com
What's our circulation?
The Beacon's total paid circulation for West Volusia County is 5,600, including roughly 5,000 mailed twice a week, and 600 sold at convenience stores and vending boxes each week, at more than 120 locations. An additional 6,000 newspapers are distributed as samples to homes throughout the area. Our pass-along factor (the number of our readers who regularly share their copy of the paper with another family) is 33.8 percent per copy.
Numbers are important, but they don't tell the whole story. We offer you readership. People who buy The Beacon (and other community newspapers) do so because they want to read about their own community. They're literate, involved, educated citizens who care about West Volusia. They appreciate the advertisers who support their community newspaper.
Through our Central Florida Media Group, we can place your advertising in several community newspapers, for a total circulation of more than 50,000.
What about advertising?
Helping your business succeed is an important part of our business. Our knowledgeable sales staff and our award-winning advertising-design team can plan an advertising campaign for any size budget.
Through our Central Florida Media Group, we can also take care of placing your advertising in several Central Florida community newspapers. Get the market you need, without the cost of metro newspapers.
In community newspapers, your advertising isn't swallowed up in 10 sections of 20 pages each. Your advertising stands out in each one of our 24- to 40-page chapters of the community's story.
Our open rate (non-discounted rate) for display advertising is $11.50 per column inch in the main section; $9.00 per column inch in the classified section. Our special main-section rate for nonprofit organizations is $9.00 per column inch. (To download rate cards in pdf format, click here.)
Design and typesetting are free. Discounts are available for volume and frequency. Call for specific rates.
We can insert your flier or letter inside The Beacon for $45 per thousand, with a 5,000 minimum. Call for prices on inserts that have more than four 8.5 by 11-inch pages.
We use standard SAU columns. 1 column (1.8125") wide in the main retail advertising section; 1.3281" inches wide for classified and legal advertising.
Classified line ads are very affordable: $15 for 25 words for two runs, with contract discounts available. Our classifieds are also published on our Web site. You can buy your classified online here
Web site advertisements cost $65-$40 per month for a basic 120X120 pixel advertisement, depending on the section. Click here for more about online advertising opportunities, including our FREE listing in the Find A ... section.
The Beacon is fully qualified by statute to publish legal notices of all kinds. The rate is $4.50 per column inch. E-mail Legal Advertising Manager Melodie Robinson at legals@beacononlinenews.com. She will be happy to quote a price for your specific legal notice.
When are the deadlines?
Reserve your ad space by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday for the Monday edition. Reserve space in the Thursday edition by 10 a.m. Monday. Proofs and page selection may not be available for late ads, but please call; we try to accommodate every customer. Payment arrangements will be made when you reserve ad space.
How can I get a public-service announcement?
You will find forms on The Beacon Web site for sending all kinds of news ... club news, calendar items, sports news, family news, and more. If you don't see a form that meets your need, send us an e-mail at info@beacononlinenews.com.
We are happy to publish announcements for nonprofit organizations in our community. Generally, we simply need, in writing, the who, what, where, why, how and when of your news, along with the name, telephone number and e-mail address of the person making the announcement. You can also send photos (as .jpg files) with your announcement.
Deadlines vary according to the section of the newspaper where your news is published. Generally, send us the information as soon as you have it. Most items must be sent at least one full week before publication.
E-mail is the preferred form for sending announcements; however, we also accept announcements by regular mail, fax and hand-delivery.
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