Black newspapers court furniture industry

Readership a key market for retailers and manufacturers, one editor says

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, October 21, 2010

Afrique Kilimanjaro

GREENSBORO, North Carolina — Eight North Carolina African American community newspapers, with a readership of more than 250,000 households, are appealing to the furniture industry to "help us tell your comfort and value story."

"We want to work with the furniture industry," said Afrique Kilimanjaro, editor of Greensboro's Carolina Peacemaker, a founding member of the North Carolina Black Publisher's Assn. "We are a strong group of community newspapers, providing focused news and information to a loyal demographic wanting and needing furniture and home furnishings."

Published in the Tar Heel state's major population areas, the newspaper group's members include the Carolina Peacemaker; The Carolina Times, Durham; The Carolinian, Raleigh; The County News, Statesville; The Fayetteville Press, Fayetteville; Greater Diversity News, Wilmington; The Wilmington Journal, Wilmington; and The Winston-Salem Chronicle, Winston-Salem.

They are part of a network of 110 newspapers serving millions of African Americans in the United States.

"The reach of our focused community newspapers can be a pleasant and profitable surprise to furniture retailers and manufacturers," said Kilimanjaro, whose father, John Marshall Kilimanjaro, a professor and civic leader, founded the Carolina Peacemaker in 1967. "We want your ideas for stories, articles and features."

Even though Kilimanjaro's focus is news and information, she said the newspaper group offers a collective advertising buy to reach more than 250,000 households subscribing to the eight publications.

She said she will receive and direct news and advertising inquiries at the Carolina Peacemaker, 400 Summit Ave., Greensboro, N.C. 27405; editor@carolinapeacemaker.com; (336) 274-6210.