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Mitch Bettis has been named publisher of the Hope Star and nine other GateHouse Media newspapers in Arkansas and Louisiana.
Bettis has a background in newspapers that began in Arkadelphia.
“I started my newspaper career at the Siftings- Herald in the mid 1980s,” he said. “I’ve worked in the publishing business in various capacities since then.”
His journalism career has taken Bettis to Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Missouri. His family owns a small weekly newspaper in Colorado.
Bettis has most recently worked for GateHouse Media in central Missouri as general manager for about 22 publications.
He said he is excited about the move back to Arkansas.
“Collectively, this family of publications has a very strong and positive presence in each of our communities,” Bettis said. “I look forward to working with each of our leaders in each community to improve that further.”
The Arkansas newspapers include the Hope Star, Arkadelphia Daily Siftings Herald, Stuttgart Daily Leader, Nevada County Picayune, Gurdon Times, Helena World, Newport Independent, Heber Springs Sun-Times and White Hall Journal; and, in Louisiana, the Bastrop Enterprise.
Bettis has taken the reins as part of an overall restructuring by GateHouse.
“GateHouse Media has embarked on a reorganization of its leadership throughout the country,” Bettis said. “As the company looks toward the future, we look to meet the needs of our print readership and our substantial online readership.”
Bettis said the newspaper industry has undergone changes and is working to meet the demands of its various audiences.
“We will continue to focus on our strong online presence that complements our high readership of our print products in each of these communities,” Bettis said.
Community newspapers play an important role in the communities they serve, he said. Bettis said the newspapers will continue that tradition.
While GateHouse has undergone some changes and the newspaper industry is facing challenges, community newspapers remain focused on the communities they serve, he said.
Bettis said that philosophy applies to every community but admits there is a “special” attachment to Hope and the Hope Star.
“We know that our readers in Hope have chosen to read the Hope Star because of the product we deliver,” he said. “We promise to keep our focus on what’s important – the news of Hope and Hempstead County. We’ll continue that focus while utilizing the opportunities of regional coverage with our sister papers.”
Bettis was born and raised in Arkadelphia, the son of Don and Evelyn Bettis. He attended Arkadelphia High School and Ouachita Baptist University. He and his wife, Meg, have three children, Jackson, 9, Addy, 4, and Elli, who is 15 months.
Bettis said he is looking forward to getting to work in each of the communities.
“I am excited about working with the team at the Hope Star, Siftings Herald, Picayune and Gurdon Times,” he said.
Bettis plans to locate in Central Arkansas to be available to all the newspapers he’ll oversee, and he said the position carries some challenges that will be overcome through good communication.
He said he’s anxious to hear from residents in each community.
“I’m available,” Bettis said, "and I'm eager to hear the comments you have about our publications or the community."
He can be reached by email at mbettis@gatehousemedia.com.
Concerns, questions and comments can also be addressed through the editors of each of the newspapers. Locally that person is Ken McLemore, who can be reached at kmclemore@hopestar.com online.
Mitch Bettis has been named publisher of the Hope Star and nine other GateHouse Media newspapers in Arkansas and Louisiana.
Bettis has a background in newspapers that began in Arkadelphia.
“I started my newspaper career at the Siftings- Herald in the mid 1980s,” he said. “I’ve worked in the publishing business in various capacities since then.”
His journalism career has taken Bettis to Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Missouri. His family owns a small weekly newspaper in Colorado.
Bettis has most recently worked for GateHouse Media in central Missouri as general manager for about 22 publications.
He said he is excited about the move back to Arkansas.
“Collectively, this family of publications has a very strong and positive presence in each of our communities,” Bettis said. “I look forward to working with each of our leaders in each community to improve that further.”
The Arkansas newspapers include the Hope Star, Arkadelphia Daily Siftings Herald, Stuttgart Daily Leader, Nevada County Picayune, Gurdon Times, Helena World, Newport Independent, Heber Springs Sun-Times and White Hall Journal; and, in Louisiana, the Bastrop Enterprise.
Bettis has taken the reins as part of an overall restructuring by GateHouse.
“GateHouse Media has embarked on a reorganization of its leadership throughout the country,” Bettis said. “As the company looks toward the future, we look to meet the needs of our print readership and our substantial online readership.”
Bettis said the newspaper industry has undergone changes and is working to meet the demands of its various audiences.
“We will continue to focus on our strong online presence that complements our high readership of our print products in each of these communities,” Bettis said.
Community newspapers play an important role in the communities they serve, he said. Bettis said the newspapers will continue that tradition.
While GateHouse has undergone some changes and the newspaper industry is facing challenges, community newspapers remain focused on the communities they serve, he said.
Bettis said that philosophy applies to every community but admits there is a “special” attachment to Hope and the Hope Star.
“We know that our readers in Hope have chosen to read the Hope Star because of the product we deliver,” he said. “We promise to keep our focus on what’s important – the news of Hope and Hempstead County. We’ll continue that focus while utilizing the opportunities of regional coverage with our sister papers.”
Bettis was born and raised in Arkadelphia, the son of Don and Evelyn Bettis. He attended Arkadelphia High School and Ouachita Baptist University. He and his wife, Meg, have three children, Jackson, 9, Addy, 4, and Elli, who is 15 months.
Bettis said he is looking forward to getting to work in each of the communities.
“I am excited about working with the team at the Hope Star, Siftings Herald, Picayune and Gurdon Times,” he said.
Bettis plans to locate in Central Arkansas to be available to all the newspapers he’ll oversee, and he said the position carries some challenges that will be overcome through good communication.
He said he’s anxious to hear from residents in each community.
“I’m available,” Bettis said, "and I'm eager to hear the comments you have about our publications or the community."
He can be reached by email at mbettis@gatehousemedia.com.
Concerns, questions and comments can also be addressed through the editors of each of the newspapers. Locally that person is Ken McLemore, who can be reached at kmclemore@hopestar.com online.
