How Community Impact Shows That Print Media Is Still Good Business

John Garrett

CEO & Founder Community Impact News

Watch the Full Episode

On this episode of the Changing Austin Podcast, host Amplify Credit Union sits down with CEO and founder John Garrett to reveal how Community Impact has not only survived but thrived in an era when many publishers are cutting back on print. Garrett shares the business model that has kept the company profitable, the community-first strategy behind its growth, and why he believes print media is still one of the most powerful tools for connecting local businesses with their audiences.

Release date: September 2025

Guest: John Garrett, CEO & Founder Community Impact News

Duration: ~30 minutes

Sponsor: Amplify Credit Union

Timecodes:

06:49

—

Running Towards Trouble: Why Community Impact continues to chase local stories that everyone needs

08:01

—

Showing Up Locally : Why it’s important to have local news coverage in every community

11:23

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Print Is King : Why Community Impact’s focus on print remains its biggest competitive advantage

17:14

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End of the Runway : The challenge of being a disruptor in a well-established industry

What is the Community Impact News ?

Community Impact Newspaper is a news organization that is vested in the communities it serves. Thanks to its commitment to local coverage, Community Impact is among the first to report on local business, transportation, education and health care. New editions of the newspaper are circulated to 70+ communities and reach 2.4 million mailboxes.

Founded: 2005

Location: 16225 Impact Way,Pflugerville, TX 78660

Industry: Advertising and Media

Mission: To provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets

Core Values: Faith, passion, quality, innovation, integrity

Website: communityimpact.com

Memorable Quotes from John Garrett

In 2005, John and Jennifer Garrett launched the very first issue of Community Impact Newspaper from their garage. What started as a hyperlocal experiment has grown into the largest local news organization in Texas, serving millions of readers with neighborhood-focused journalism.

John Garrett

CEO & Founder Community Impact News

“Having that independent person there, who’s showing up to those late-night meetings? That’s something we take a lot of pride in.””

“The problem with our industry is that they have not invested enough in their print products.”

“You have to have content that people actually care about.”

“When you’re at the end of the runway, that’s when you take off.”

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