Family Power and Local News Reinvention Signal Media’s Next Big Shift
What you will learn when you read this article:
How Haoffman Media is scaling a family-owned publishing business through focus, diversification, and authenticity while resisting automation-driven shortcuts.
Why Hoffmann Media Group’s acquisitions and “Netflixification” approach to local news signal a return to depth, differentiation, and reinvestment in reporting.
What communicators can learn from both strategies about building audience trust, leveraging experiential extensions, and aligning brand value with authentic content.
Hoffman Media CEO Eric Hoffman says the company’s next five years will be defined by focus, not flash. In a recent interview with Samir “Mr. Magazine” Husni, Hoffman outlined how the Birmingham-based, family-owned publisher has reshaped its portfolio around eight core magazine brands, a fast-growing book imprint, and an events and video engine that extends audience relationships beyond the printed page. For communicators, this illustrates the enduring power of brand clarity and paid relationships in an era where many chase fleeting reach.
Hoffman said magazine revenue now accounts for about half of company sales, with subscriptions prioritized over newsstand. The other half is led by books and events. The 83 Press imprint, named for the year founder Phyllis Hoffman DePiano started the business, is approaching 30 percent of revenue after a string of bestsellers with creators such as Brenda Gantt and the Cajun Ninja. This demonstrates how experiential extensions and diversified offerings can compound revenue streams when rooted in audience trust.
Bake from Scratch, created by Brian Hart Hoffman, has become the company’s most profitable brand and a blueprint for the portfolio. It blends a paid magazine with Monday-night live baking classes produced in partnership with Williams-Sonoma, a global slate of themed culinary retreats, and an annual cookbook. Communicators should see this as proof that integrated programs — content, community, and commerce — deliver more lasting value than volume-based campaigns.
Hoffman emphasized the company will not create editorial content with AI, calling authenticity and human creativity nonnegotiable. He has joined the Magazine Coalition in an advisory capacity to advocate for publisher rights and fair compensation in AI licensing. In a media environment where authenticity beats automation, Hoffman Media’s stance shows how human-driven creativity can remain a differentiator for both publishers and brands.
The business has also modernized its operations. A downtown Birmingham creative center with advanced test kitchens and studios anchors expanded video production and advertiser programs, including custom cookbooks and content. After a difficult 2023 that required a reduction in force, Hoffman said the firm returned to revenue and profit growth in 2024 and sees a path from roughly $33 million in revenue today to $50 million within five years. The strategy highlights how focus, efficiency, and reinvestment in high-value products create stronger brand equity and client loyalty than chasing volume alone.
A different “Hoffmann” is remaking local news
Separate from Birmingham’s magazine publisher, the Naples-based Hoffmann Family of Companies operates Hoffmann Media Group, a local news platform led by CEO Pason Gaddis. In August 2025, that company announced a pending agreement to acquire the Telluride Daily Planet, its sister paper The Norwood Post, and lifestyle titles Telluride Style and Shelter Magazine, with closing expected Sept. 12 and Maureen Pelisson set to become publisher. Earlier in June, Hoffmann Family of Companies acquired Missourian Publishing Co., adding The Missourian and related assets.
Gaddis has described the strategy as entrepreneurial, prioritizing original local reporting, “right-sizing” infrastructure, and reinvesting in newsroom capacity. For communicators, this points to a shift back to depth and differentiation in local journalism. Companies will increasingly need to offer unique insights and authentic voices to earn meaningful coverage.
He has also argued for a “Netflixification” mindset that rejects commodity wire flows in favor of unique, must-have local coverage. With a portfolio now spanning dozens of markets, including Florida Weekly and Babcock Ranch Telegraph, the strategy underscores that utility beats volume — local news outlets are investing in stories that matter most to their communities. For brands, the lesson is clear: pitch with substance and relevance or risk being ignored.
