Hays Free Press ranked third in nation

Posted 02/13/2009

Staff Reports

The Hays Free Press has held the title of number one news medium for Kyle, Buda and its surrounding communities for over a century, but on Feb. 25 the Inland Press Association named the Hays Free Press as the third best weekly newspaper in the nation for its circulation division.

 

The Inland Press Association is a U.S. national newspaper association specializing in financial and human resources research, training, newspaper advertising sales seminars and revenue building for newspapers of all sizes.

Judges for the competition were veteran newspaper people – Dr. David Nelson, former Time Inc. and Knight-Ridder editor now a senior professor at Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University; Arne DeLuca, former daily newspaper publisher and now principal in the newspaper training organization, Institute of Continuing Education; and Bill Roesgen, former editor and publisher of the Racine, Wis., Journal-Times and Lincoln, Neb., Journal Star.

 

According to judges’ notes, the Hays Free Press is a prime example of what a weekly newspaper should be with "In-depth, investigative local reporting, lively columnists, excellent business and special sections."

The Hays Free Press began in San Marcos in 1903, but in the past three decades has served the hearts of Kyle and Buda. The Hays Free Press staff – just over a dozen employees – live and work in Kyle or Buda, with one office in Kyle and one in Buda. "If you want to know anything about Buda, Kyle, the Hays School District or any of the surrounding communities, the Hays Free Press is definitely your number one source," says publisher Cyndy Slovak-Barton.

 

The Hays Free Press is produced by Barton Publications, which also publishes the All Around Hays monthly magazine as well as keeping the community informed of late breaking news on its website – www.haysfreepress.com.