WITF and LNP | LancasterOnline’s parent company becomes Pennon

• By Chris Reber/LNP | LancasterOnline

The nonprofit that oversees LNP | LancasterOnline and WITF’s efforts to deliver local news, information and educational programming to 19 counties in central Pennsylvania has a new name – Pennon.

WITF and LNP | LancasterOnline will retain their own branding, websites, offices, editorial independence and policies under the new organization.

Pennon will aim to help build a sustainable business model with the two media organizations that merged in July 2023, and the Steinman Institute for Civic Engagement, which was set up to support the combined entity, according to a news release issued Tuesday.

Pennon will oversee the organizations’ shared pursuit of providing local news, information and education and help create a more engaged community.

The new name comes from a word meaning flag or banner, which aligns with the organization’s commitment to quality journalism and educational content, according to the news release.

The organization remains 100% locally owned and operated. Ron Hetrick, who has been president and CEO of WITF since 2019, will continue in the same role with Pennon, as will the organization’s board of directors.  The organization has a new vice president of philanthropy who will help obtain new sources of funding and support.

“We’ll use the strengths from both organizations to build a stronger and sustainable business model so we can not only continue to serve Lancaster County through LNP and public media throughout the 19 counties, but also support developing critical reasoning skills and thinking skills for learners of all ages,” Hetrick told LNP | LancasterOnline on Tuesday.

Pennon plans to merge the WITF and LNP newsrooms, adding new beats and expanded coverage of local government in Lancaster County. Hetrick said staffing changes will be made as needed to most effectively steward the resources in the organization, no changes in LNP’s printing frequency are planned right now, and the Lititz Record Express and Ephrata Review will continue to be published every week.

Other planned initiatives include expanding programming for students in grades K-12 and more in-person engagement activities around the region.

“Through a blend of community trust and philanthropic support, Pennon will set new standards in both education and information accessibility, ensuring every community member – from early childhood to adulthood – has the skills and opportunities to make a positive difference in our communities,” Janice Snyder, Board Chair of Pennon, said in the news release.

Tom Murse, WITF’s vice president of journalism and executive editor of LNP | LancasterOnline, wrote in an email on Tuesday that with the support of the Steinman Institute for Civic Engagement, Pennon will use newsletters, podcasts and other online media to reach new readers, covering popular topics like the outdoors and watchdog stories that seek solutions to everyday problems.

“We’re constantly making decisions about what coverage our readers care most about, and how to deliver it to them. We try to adjust and adapt to meet those needs. That means moving more quickly and being more focused on digital platforms,” Murse wrote.

The rebranding of the combined organization comes 14 months after WITF accepted the gift of LNP Media Group, which included LNP | LancasterOnline, The Ephrata Review, and The Lititz Record Express, along with a five-year grant. The Steinman Institute for Civic Engagement was set up to support the merger, which was the first of its kind outside of a major metro area in the United States.