How many news outlets use JNS stories on a weekly basis?
Probably 40 Jewish newspapers and websites. Some weeks a little more, some a little less. But I find now, for example, that some of our stories are running in the Times of India, which has a circulation of four million, or the Chicago Tribune or the Los Angeles Times.
I find some Christian websites are also taking us. And unlike some Jews, I don’t fear evangelicals; I think they’re some of Israel’s greatest supporters and they should be appreciated, not insulted.
JNS is only three years old. How do you convince Jewish newspapers to start using, and paying for, your content when they’ve been doing just fine without you?
We can offer JNS pieces to newspapers on a very affordable basis. We also provide content for special sections – the big holidays, back to school, etc. This is great stuff, the papers love it. It saves the editors a considerable amount of money, it allows them to use their manpower for more immediate local enterprise work, and it is a key differentiator that has really helped us begin many relationships with Jewish newspapers.
Another thing we do is provide circulation and support for the newspapers. Newspapers ask for help on subscriber recovery, and I have a guy who goes out and helps them recapture lost subscribers. We also review printing contracts and help newspapers get better efficiencies on their printing. One newspaper I won’t name is considering alternative distribution, shifting to a free basis, which I’ve had a lot of experience with.
We don’t take these subscribers for granted. We go and see them all over the country. Incidentally, I do not make a nickel on any of this. I make a living doing other stuff. This is a labor of love.
Do you find any newspapers reluctant to use JNS stories for one reason or another?
I’ll tell you what surprises me: There are some editors who do not want to upset their readers so they’ll publish a JNS news brief about someone in Israel inventing a new flavor of ice cream, but they won’t run anything that’s kind of “scary.” Obviously that’s very troubling to me. I don’t think they should be running a newspaper if they have to sanitize and eliminate such coverage. But I can’t pick the editors.
Many people your age are ready to retire, but you seem to be working as hard as ever. One colleague a few years ago said about you: “It’s like he drinks 30 Red Bulls every morning – and he never slows down.” Do you ever think of retiring to Florida and taking it easy?
I see these people. They’re sitting, playing cards, waiting for liver spots….
If you’re doing important work and satisfying work, why would you stop?
Throughout your career, you seem to move from venture to venture, never staying put for too long. What’s next for you after JNS?
I’m sort of a myopic guy. I’m not a big strategic thinker. I think there’s going to come a time before long when JNS is not going to need my involvement anymore. At that point, we’ll figure out what kind of trouble I can get into. Right now, I’m loving this.