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Keith Pepper

Publisher @ Rough Draft Atlanta | Named Best Local & Community Newsletter

Keith Pepper is the Publisher and Owner of Rough Draft Atlanta, a leading hyperlocal media organization in Metro Atlanta.12 Here are some key details about Keith Pepper:

Professional Background

Keith Pepper has over 25 years of experience in local and global media.2 He founded Rough Draft Atlanta in December 2020, which produces several local publications including:

  • Reporter Newspapers (covering Sandy Springs, Buckhead, Brookhaven, and Dunwoody)
  • Atlanta Intown
  • Silver Streak (formerly Atlanta Senior Life)1

These publications collectively reach nearly 1 million readers monthly across various Atlanta communities.2

Education

Keith Pepper's educational background includes:

  • University of Georgia (1989-1993)
  • Smith College, Master of Social Work (MSW) (1997-1999)1

Career Journey

Keith's passion for media started early:

  • At 16, he interned at WSB, learning to operate equipment and produce shows
  • He covered sports and produced sports shows while in college
  • After college, he worked as a producer for Atlanta's Morning News in 1994-953

Mission and Impact

Keith Pepper is dedicated to community-focused news and hyperlocal media. Under his leadership, Rough Draft Atlanta aims to:

  • Inform, engage, and connect local communities
  • Empower local voices
  • Support local businesses
  • Provide coverage of important local events, such as city council meetings3

Through his work, Keith Pepper is contributing to the evolution of local journalism in the digital age, focusing on the importance of hyperlocal news and community engagement.2

Highlights

Jul 30 · linkedin

It's been a big win for Rough Draft Atlanta to post our newsletters on LinkedIn as well as our website. The process is still rather manual, but it's a nice upside for our advertisers and helps us reach new audiences.

Jul 25 · linkedin

🎉 Our flagship Rough Draft morning newsletter was recently recognized as Best Local & Community Newsletter in the 2024 Publisher Newsletter Awards, presented by Media Voices. The announcement was made at a July 23 ceremony in London.

📧 Media Voices, a UK-based industry publication, presented awards in 14 categories spanning news, politics, arts, food, and more. Judges from around the world evaluated newsletters on editorial quality, branding, audience, monetization, and overall strategy.

📈 Rough Draft Atlanta launched in 2021 and, thanks to a loyal base of readers and sponsors, has seen sustained growth in both revenue and audience. Our open rate consistently outperforms the industry averages by 2x, and sponsorship slots are filling up months in advance.

🥈 Side Dish, our weekly newsletter about Atlanta’s dining scene was a finalist for Best Food & Drink Newsletter (Winner: The Spectator), and Sketchbook was a finalist for Best Entertainment & Culture Newsletter (Winner: LMAOnaise).

👋 As media organizations seek to deepen relationships with readers, email newsletters have proven to be an effective distribution platform and provide our advertisers with impactful, elegant, and creative advertising products.

🥂 Congratulations to our entire team, which has embraced newsletters as an effective way to connect with subscribers and is committed to putting out a best-in-class product every day.

📲 If you're not subscribed to Rough Draft, text DRAFT to 66866 or visit the Newsletters tab on our website.

https://lnkd.in/epr9Sakf

#NewsletterAwards #MediaVoices #LocalJournalism #Atlanta #RoughDraftAtlanta

Related Questions

What inspired Keith Pepper to start Rough Draft Atlanta?
What are some notable achievements of Rough Draft Atlanta under Keith Pepper's leadership?
What are some key challenges Keith Pepper faces in running Rough Draft Atlanta?
How has Keith Pepper's background in digital marketing influenced Rough Draft Atlanta's strategy?
How does Keith Pepper see the future of hyperlocal media evolving?
Keith Pepper
Keith Pepper, photo 1
Keith Pepper, photo 2
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Location

Atlanta, Georgia, United States