Sarah and Bruce sit down with Jenna Talbott, editor-in-chief of New England Home Magazine, one of the most prominent shelter publications in New England. Jenna shares insights into how the magazine operates, the keys to its success, and what it takes to produce a thriving print publication in today’s media landscape.
The Conversation
Sarah: Hi, Jenna, it’s so great you came to visit us. How are you doing?
Jenna: I’m good. Thank you, Sarah. It’s great to be here. Hi Bruce.
Bruce: We go way back… 16 years ago, we met at Design New England magazine.
Jenna: It was actually 18 years ago!
Bruce: That’s relevant to our conversation because we both experienced working in print media. Design New England was a great magazine, but when The Boston Globe owned it, they eventually decided it wasn’t working for them. Now, the environment has changed. We’d love to hear from you—what’s it like working at a thriving shelter magazine today?
Jenna: It’s unlike anything I’ve experienced in my media career. I say this all the time—I can’t believe we’re adding more pages! The New England design industry is thriving, which plays a big part. Back when Design New England was in the market, the media industry was going through a lot of change. But here we are in 2024, and we’ve figured a lot out.
Sarah: Like what?
Bruce: That was the time when media was shifting from purely print to digital, and the business model was still unclear. But New England Home has figured it out, right?
Jenna: I think so. New England Home has actually been around a year longer than Design New England—we launched in 2005, while Design New England came in 2006. My career has spanned that entire shift from traditional print to where we are now.
One of the keys to our success is that we’ve maintained a strong print product. We publish 11 issues a year:
- 6 New England Home issues
- 4 Connecticut issues
- 1 annual Cape & Islands issue
But it’s not just about print. A huge part of our business model is community engagement. We are physically present in the region, building strong relationships. We host industry events, maintain an active website, and have a strong social media presence. That combination is what works for us.
Sarah: Does revenue come from those other sources too?
Jenna: I can’t share specifics, but it’s all part of the mix. Our primary content is produced for print, but we also distribute it through digital platforms, social media, and events that support our advertisers.
Sarah: So when advertisers work with you—like we do—it’s a whole package, right? Print, digital, events, and more?
Jenna: Exactly! Think of it like a five-point star: print is just one part. But we also leverage digital, social media, events, and business relationships. As the editor, I’d like to think we drive it all through great original content. But it’s the multi-platform approach that truly makes it work.
We have an engaged advertiser base, and while we’re consumer-facing, we also have a strong B2B (business-to-business) presence. That balance is key to our success.
Final Thoughts
Jenna’s insights show how New England Home Magazine has adapted and thrived in a rapidly changing media landscape. By balancing traditional print with digital innovation and strong community engagement, they’ve built a successful, multi-platform brand.
Want to hear the full conversation? Listen to the podcast episode here.
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