Arkansas Business Publishing Group (ABPG) is shutting down one of its specialty publications in 2021.
In a letter to advertisers, Little Rock Soiree publisher Mandy Richardson announced that the company would no longer produce Little Rock Family. The final issue, the annual Camps Guide, is set for March.
Richardson attributed the decision to close down the publication to a lack of growth. “While most publications within our company have experienced growth for the past several years, Little Rock Family has not. That reality coupled with the impact the pandemic had on this particular publication has forced our team to make a decision to allocate internal talent and resources on other projects that are in high growth mode. Little Rock Family is not alone in the struggle for advertising revenue as many parenting publications nationwide are experiencing the same issues,” she wrote.
According to Richardson, the March issue is set to hit newsstands at the end of February with digital content expected to fill Little Rock Family’s social media feeds through March.
“Today is a very sad day for me and the rest of the AY Media Group staff,” AMP publisher Heather Baker said. “Little Rock Family has been a great product and resource for our community for so many years, and newsstands will not look the same without it. This is yet another example of how vital it is to support local media. We wish all of our friends over at Little Rock Family and Arkansas Business Publishing Group the best during this difficult time.”
ABPG publishes Arkansas Business, its flagship weekly business newspaper, as well as monthly magazine Little Rock Soiree. The Little Rock-based company also publishes Arkansas Bride, Greater Little Rock Guest Guide, Arkansas Next: A Guide to Life After High School and Metro Little Rock Guide.
Mitch Bettis owns ABPG and serves as the company’s president and CEO. Bettis purchased the company from founder and former CEO Olivia Farrell in 2019.
Arkansas Money & Politics has reached out to ABPG for comment.
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