Nov 29, 2017 4 min read

As a media organization, the Observer Publishing Company has long embraced the role of being an active participant in the communities it serves. Whether through local, hard-hitting content, or by providing advertising and marketing options that connect the community with small businesses, OPC strives to make the community a better place to live.

This past Small Business Saturday, OPC teamed up with the Washington Business District to encourage shoppers to explore, support and share information about Downtown businesses in an effort to expand our already vibrant community.

By providing the community with the support and resources to continue to grow, OPC is committed to making Washington a better place. Here are four more ways OPC is making a difference:

Niche Publications

From Total Health and Southpointe Today to Living in Washington County and O-R Weddings, there’s something for everyone with our niche publications. Niche publications are specialty magazines that appear inside the Observer-Reporter each month. They can also be found online at www.observer-reporter.com. Our specialty publications offer readers an in-depth glimpse into issues affecting our local area and people who are making a difference.

Online Member Benefits

“We want subscribing to our newspaper to be more than just getting the newspaper delivered to your home,” Matt Miller, vice president and chief revenue officer for the Observer Publishing Company, said. “We want it to be a membership experience.”

To further increase the value of a newspaper subscription, the Observer-Reporter introduced O-R Plus, a rewards program for subscribers that includes offers from local and national retailers, restaurants and more. O-R Plus can be accessed on our website, www.o-rplus.com and through an app on your phone.

The platform is also used to promote Observer-Reporter events, such as ticket giveaways to opening night at the Washington Community Theatre, Wild Things Frontier League Baseball games, The Corks and Kegs Festival and the Pony League World Series.

Sponsoring Events

Speaking of events, did you know that the Observer-Reporter sponsored 14 different events around the region last year? From Kids Fest at the Washington Crowne Center Mall to the Washington County Auto Show, two Career Expos and The Corks and Kegs Festival at The Meadows Racetrack & Casino, the O-R offers valuable sponsorship and promotion to many community events.

New this year, The Observer-Reporter launched First Fridays at the Community Pavilion, in conjunction with the Washington Business District Authority, which rejuvenated South Main Street this summer. Other events included the Greater Pittsburgh Food Truck Festival, Farm to Fork and Farm to Table, which brought residents a taste of local fare and flavor. You’ll find a complete list of our Observer-Reporter sponsored events at www.observer-reporter.com/opcevents.

Donating To Charity

“I think one of the best things about this newspaper is that the family takes pride in giving back to the community,” Miller said.

Each year, the Observer Publishing Company spends hundreds of thousands of dollars in sponsorships of community events. Publisher Tom Northrop has said he thinks part of being a community newspaper is giving back to the community and he’s made that a priority for this family-owned company.

“It’s challenging. It’s a difficult business. Last year, we had a tough year, but I have always felt if we’re going to be part of the community, we have to participate in the community,” Northrop said. “We gave in terms of money or in-kind ad space nearly $250,000 to charities because there are so many people in need. To many people, $5,000 to their charity means the world.”

This article is sponsored by Observer Publishing Company.