Black-Led Media Collaboration Generates $75k+ in New Ad Revenue

In January, Davis Broadcasting, the largest Black-owned radio network in Georgia, hired Blue Bancer as its Digital Operations Director. Since mid-April, he’s helped to secure more than $75,000 in new digital advertising revenue. Bancer is transforming a legacy sales team into a digital one—and bringing Davis’ customers and clients with them.

Davis, in collaboration with Columbus, Ga.-based The Courier/Eco Latino, benefits from the first round of grantmaking from The Pivot Fund, including the dollars used to hire Bancer. The partnership has taken off since the Courier’s new editor, Janelle Williams, joined the team in September.

The Partnership: Davis Broadcasting, one of the oldest African American-owned radio companies in the U.S., operates nine stations in Georgia, six in the Columbus market. Davis and the Courier are expanding their reach and making news and information more accessible to Columbus residents. They've been working together to produce events and specialty print products for a while.

With guidance from the Center for Cooperative Media, Davis and the Courier deepened their partnership. They are now developing new digital products, creating a newsletter, and hosting sponsored events.

How it works: Bancer has expanded digital advertising components, including display ads, event targeting, social media ads, and more. They use AI-powered software to analyze data, past campaign performance and provide pricing, making it easier to create digital campaigns. The software also helps design ads and allows clients to monitor campaign performance.

One key learning is that both legacy media outlets and their clients often lag behind in digital transformation. Bancer and his colleagues found that local businesses were not well-equipped for digital advertising. They now assist clients in entering the digital space, increasing revenue for everyone.

The Davis-Courier partnership aligns with The Pivot Fund’s approach, which supports local news organizations in hiring talent and embracing digital innovation while meeting their specific needs.

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