Crain’s to go national with websites in 35 markets

Crain Communication, which operates business newspapers in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and New York, announced a national expansion plan Wednesday with websites in 35 markets.

The expansion includes email newsletters that customize business news based on location, reader preferences and engagement.

Daily content on the websites is expected to include a mix of curated local and industry business news, articles from Crain brands and original content, including a series titled “If I Knew Then…,” featuring interviews with industry leaders. Currently, the websites are only set up for readers to subscribe to the email newsletters.

Crain will also launch a website in Toronto in May.

“It’s an exciting time for us to be able to connect with more audiences inside their local communities,” said K.C. Crain, executive vice president and director of corporate operations at Crain, in a statement.

Twenty-five of the new markets for Crain are cities where rival American City Business Journals operates a weekly business newspaper and website, such as Atlanta, Boston and Philadelphia. Others include Los Angeles, San Diego and Indianapolis.

Charlotte-based ACBJ previously introduced web-only business publications in Crain markets such as Chicago and New York.

Sean Flanagan is publisher of the new Crain sites, with editorial oversight by Robert K. Elder, Crain’s director of digital product development and strategy.