The Journal Register Company, the owners of The Middletown Press, has entered into a partnership with GrowthSpur. This partnership will provide local bloggers with the tools and training to become successful self-publishers.

With an initial launch in the Philadelphia region, Journal Register Company and GrowthSpur will work with blogging networks to grow news coverage, audience and revenue for community bloggers.

“Our partnership with GrowthSpur is indicative of our commitment to our Digital First strategy,” said John Paton, Chief Executive Officer. “We recognize that news is now created and consumed in remarkably different ways. We need to partner with our audiences, our communities and others if we are to be successful.”

The partnership between the Company and GrowthSpur provides local bloggers the opportunity to market themselves to advertisers as part of a community-wide network. Bloggers who join the network will receive sales and marketing training, and have the ability to sell advertising, or receive a share of revenue from other network members. The program is open to all bloggers, regardless of sales experience.

“GrowthSpur will help both us and our content partners create robust revenue streams to keep those partnerships viable,” Paton said.

Earlier this year Journal Register Company launched a Community Media Lab training program for startup bloggers. One of them was at the New Haven Register. The Media Lab program provided training for those looking to join the growing number of diverse voices already part of established community blog networks.

“There’s an incredible amount of great local journalism coming from independent local blogs and sites, and GrowthSpur was started to provide support for this grassroots content,” said Mark Potts, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of GrowthSpur. “We’re very excited to be working with Journal Register Company on this project. We’re thrilled to be able to provide the business and advertising support for the blog networks they’re assembling. Together, we think we can create a strong new future for local journalism.”

Community bloggers who are interested in this opportunity can contact Journal Register Company at opportunities@journalregister.com or GrowthSpur at info@growthspur.com.