Kevin Austin, who was named publisher of The Ironton Tribune earlier this month, got his start in the newspaper business with a paper route in his hometown of Lansing, Michigan.

“I always wanted to read about Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson in the sports section,” he said of the Michigan State University point guard, who led the Spartans to a national championship in 1979 and went on to become a five-time NBA champion and two-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Growing up in a middle-class family, Austin played sports, attended church and especially enjoyed theme parks and summering in northern Michigan.

He attended Northwood University on a four-year basketball scholarship. After graduating from college, he worked for the ABC affiliate in his hometown, which gave him the motivation to pursue a career in advertising media.

Austin’s career has taken him to cities across the country. He worked for Gannett-USA Today in New York; a division of the New York Times Company in Alabama; Cox Media Group in Florida; as well as private investors and a family-owned newspaper group. He also ran a Spanish language newspaper in Orlando. Most recently he was with Lee Enterprises.

“I’ve held positions from advertising director, vice president of advertising, president and publisher,” Austin noted.

In addition to his duties at The Ironton Tribune, Austin has also been named publisher of The State Journal in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Frankfort and Ironton newspapers are part of Boone Newsmedia Inc.

“We are excited to have Kevin at the helm of Ohio’s best community newspaper,” said Steve Stewart, president and CEO of Boone Newsmedia. “He brings deep experience, high energy and creativity to the many ways we serve readers and businesses in the community. The people of Ironton and Lawrence County will enjoy getting to know him.”

He took a break from the news business in 2015 to pursue a master’s degree in education — a feat he achieved in 2020. And while he enjoyed four years in the education field, his passion for community newspapers was stronger.

“Newspapers in many ways are like sports. Our writers can challenge you through articles and opinions. Stories can take you places where you didn’t think you were able or capable of going emotionally, mentally and spiritually,” he stated. “Articles and stories bring people together, just like the connection between readers and advertisers.

“As technology advances so do our digital services, which allow both readers and advertisers to stay connected with us through so many new ways as the future of our industry continues to be now. That’s what keeps me in the news business.”

Though he is just getting started in Ironton, Austin has a seven-prong philosophy:

• Pursue the truth in all we do.

• The impact of stories is arguably the most important element of newsworthiness. Did the story engage or create conversation?

• Break news as often as we can online and through our social media channels. We want to keep our audience informed.

• Human interest and timeliness of stories are just as important.

• Investigative reporting is pertinent.

• Continue to be a leader in local sports coverage.

• Create viral stories on our sites.

One of his main goals is continuing the newspaper’s award-winning tradition. He also plans to engage and build brands and awareness.

“We’ll show advertisers how to reach potential consumers across all devices and optimize campaigns in real time by positioning their marketing messages based on geography, keywords, behavior, demographics, content IP targeting and more,” he added.

“We want to help local businesses continue to reach locals, capitalize on the Ironton tourism market and deliver additional consumers from Ashland, Huntington, Portsmouth and other surrounding towns.”

Austin is a hands-on publisher who enjoys being out in the community. He wants to know what readers think of the newspaper, as well as create interest in younger readers.

“We’re more than just a newspaper. We are disseminating news and growing our digital audience through a number of different channels,” he remarked.

Austin said Ironton feels like home and The Ironton Tribune staff feels like family.

“I just felt like I could fit in to what they are doing and continue to look for new ways to elevate the reader and advertiser experience in print and digital,” he added.

He plans to immerse himself in the community by getting involved in local organizations, volunteering and participating in area events.

So what can Ironton Tribune readers expect under his leadership? The same great news coverage, as well as an elevated digital experience.

“If you left, come back and give us a try. If you’re still here, thank you for being a loyal reader,” he said. “The future is bright for community newspapers.”

Austin has three children, Kevin Jr., 23, Shelby, 18, and Dylan, 12, and is engaged to his fiancé, Cheryl.

In his spare time, he prefers the outdoors and can be found fishing, golfing, shooting hoops, biking, hiking, swimming, on the beach, enjoying live music, art galleries, museums, antiquing, traveling, or spending time with family and friends. He collects old cameras, enjoys playing Wordle and officiating football and basketball games.

Austin can be reached at kevin.austin@irontontribune.com.