The Purple Network - How Democrats & Republican Insiders Finally Came Together - Steve Blacker

By Legends & Leadership Archives
Cover image for  article: The Purple Network - How Democrats & Republican Insiders Finally Came Together - Steve Blacker

While political acrimony may exist in the Beltway, two of America's most prestigious and influential progressive and conservative magazines have decided to create a powerful new multi-media platform.

Although the Democratic/progressive The Nation and the Republican/conservative National Review are by no means jettisoning their political differences they have created the new PURPLE NETWORK to offer corporate opinion leader advertisers a network buy at a 50% discount.

Katrina vanden Heuvel, Editor and Publisher of The Nationstates, "By joining together to offer a new network buy, we are not jettisoning our differences. Instead, we are showing that even those with different points of view can join together to create a powerful new platform to influence key decision-makers of all views - inside the Beltway and around the country." Rich Lowry, Editor of National Reviewadds, "Whatever differences exist between us, it is better to yell at history than at each other. The cooperation will afford advertisers the opportunity to reach a wide and influential audience - both in the halls of power and the country at large."

The new PURPLE NETWORK will deliver more readership coverage, and influence among those who directly shape policy and legislation on all major issues than any other existing Beltway publication, per the latest benchmark Erdos & Morgan Opinion Leader Study. It will also have more total circulation than Politico, Roll Call, The Hill, The New Republic, National Journal, The Weekly Standard and CQ Weekly combined. Audited paid circulation is 300,000 with less than 1% duplication between the two publications. A page 4/C will cost just $15,400.

The Nation and National Review have one of the most pro-active subscriber bases in the country. More than 75% have contacted an elected official in the past year, over 85% have signed a petition and more than 60% have donated to a political party. Their demographics are quite similar too with 50% holding a post-graduate degree, over 75% professional managerial, a median house income of over $100,000 and an impressive 20% serving on a board of directors. Both publications charge a hefty subscription price; $59 for National Review and $50 for The Nation. Renewals average over 80% and their highly engaged readerships spend over an hour reading time with each issue.

In addition to the print opportunities, special advertiser sponsored events will take place in Spring 2013. Each event will focus on a major topic such as energy, heath care, etc. and feature prominent experts taking different points of view i.e. Democratic and Republican. Videos of each event will give them an afterlife online. For advertisers who may have been skittish about being associated with each publications distinct and strong point of view; the new PURPLE NETWORK allows corporate advertisers who wish to influence opinion leaders and the Beltway the opportunity to be non-partisan.

Steve's most recent book You Can't Fall Off The Floor - The Insiders' Guide to Re-Inventing Yourself and Your Career chronicles his 50 year career working for over 25 different companies with 189 lessons learned and insider tips from Gayle King, Cathie Black, Chuck Townsend and 28 others; Blacker is still going strong today as a partner in Frankfurt & Blacker Solutions, LLC. His web site is blacker-reinventions.com and e-mail address is blackersolutions@aol.com

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