The Dispatch Printing Company Announces Partnership with The Onion

COLUMBUS, OH, August 27, 2011 (Press-News.org) The Dispatch Printing Company, publisher of The Columbus Dispatch, niche publications and associated entities, announced a partnership today with the satirical newspaper The Onion and its entertainment-focused sister publication The A.V. Club. Under this agreement, The Onion maintains exclusive rights over all creative content, while The Dispatch Media Group assumes business management responsibilities, including advertising sales, printing and distribution.

Launching October 6th, this partnership will bring print editions of The Onion to over 562 locations, with particular concentration centering on or near the campus of The Ohio State University with a targeted focus on the younger, college-aged reader. The distribution will be 20,000 copies every Thursday.

"The Onion's irreverent satire really resonates with college students, and it's helped The Onion grow into one of the most recognizable humor brands in the country, " noted Amy Bishop, Niche Publications Advertising Manager. "The local print edition will put The Onion directly in the hands of Columbus fans, and help our advertisers reach those readers where they live, eat and hang out on campus and in surrounding neighborhoods."

Over the past year, The Onion's print distribution has expanded to several new territories, increasing its presence to a total of 15 markets including: Austin, Chicago, Denver/Boulder, Fort Collins, Washington D.C., Madison, Milwaukee, New York, Omaha, Philadelphia, Santa Fe, Twin Cities, Ann Arbor, Toronto and now Columbus.

"It's been an exciting year, seeing The Onion expand to new markets. We are thrilled to have our newspaper distributed in Ohio for the first time. What better place to begin than with the Buckeyes?" said Carrie Palmer, Director of Franchising at The Onion.
The Onion started in 1988 as a weekly newspaper at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Today, The Onion and The A.V. Club reach approximately 2 million readers in print weekly and 10 million monthly online. The Onion has produced several bestselling books as well as an award-winning web-video series called Onion News Network. The online series led to a television show on IFC by the same name, which will return for its second season on October 4 at 10/9 Central.

About the Dispatch Printing Company:

The Dispatch Printing Company is a privately held, family-owned, media organization in central Ohio whose affiliates include The Columbus Dispatch, WBNS-10TV, the Ohio News Network, 97.1 The Fan, Dispatch Digital, ThisWeek Community Newspapers, alive!, Capital Style, Capital Style Bride, Crave, Fronteras, Radio Sound Network, On Target Marketing/TheBAG and Columbus Parent in Columbus, Ohio; WTHR-TV and WALV-CA and SkyTrak Weather in Indianapolis, Indiana; and Dispatch Interactive Television in Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis, Indiana.

Media Contact: Jean Marie Nemeti
Director of Marketing & Branding
(614) 469-6150
Jnemeti@dispatch.com
http://www.dispatch.com