Pennsylvania’s Newspaper Industry Makes a Significant Impact

Economic Impact Report

PNA commissioned original research from the experts at Parker Philips Inc. to measure all the ways that newspapers contribute to the Pennsylvania economy. The report is the result of the first comprehensive economic study undertaken by PNA to detail the significant impact of newspapers in Pennsylvania.

Distributed to all members of the state Legislature and other government officials, the report shows people that our industry is consistently strong, with taxpayers turning to newspapers during COVID more than other mediums; our combined print and digital readership is large; and we have a significant impact on the communities we serve.

Access Pennsylvania’s Newspaper Industry Economic Impact Report

The Facts

Vital to Pennsylvania, the newspaper industry contributes to local and state economies through its expenditures on operations and staff wages. Its direct, day-to-day spending and investment cause a statewide ripple effect that translated into an economic impact of over $1 billion in 2020.

Economic Contribution: $1.3 Billion

Employment Impact: 9,862 Jobs

State and Local Tax Impact: $51.8 Million

Download the Executive Summary

Why Newspapers?

Newspapers are the most dominant source of news in local markets across all platforms, print, digital and social media:

The total print circulation in 2020 was 2.8 million, with that reach expanding to more than 7 million Pennsylvanians who read a printed newspaper every week. Many newspaper websites throughout the estate average multimillion unique page views each year.
Consumer trust in printed newspapers (67%) is more than double the trust in social media on social networks (33%). Recent surveys show that during the pandemic, American adults increased their time with newspaper media.
In 2020, the combined impact of charitable giving and volunteerism from the Pennsylvania newspaper industry totaled $6.4 million.