Oshkosh Herald newspaper was founded by Karen Schneider in January 2018 as a weekly community paper for the residents of Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Schneider realized the void left by the changing newspaper industry needed to be filled and she and her husband, Jeff, invested in the community knowing the health of Oshkosh required a well-informed electorate who understood how local officials were governing. The Herald also covers local prep sports and local features and has a circulation of more than 31,000.
Dan Roherty and Julie Vandenberg, editor and office manager, joined Schneider in December 2017 and have been major contributors to the company’s success and growth.
Schneider received many requests to expand the footprint of the Herald and resisted until February 2022 when Neenah News was launched as a weekly newspaper for the Neenah Joint School District geographical area that included Neenah, Wis, and parts of Fox Crossing. Advertisers urged Schneider to have the same distribution model as the Herald and in August 2023 the Neenah News began being mailed every Friday to more than 21,000 households in the 54956 ZIP code.
After receiving a call in January 2024, the Oshkosh Herald welcomed Winneconne News under its umbrella. The weekly publication for the bedroom community of Winneconne, Wis., for over 153 years, was acquired in October 2024 as Schneider could not risk it closing its doors. The Winneconne News has a paid circulation of around 1,600.
Schneider considers the value her products provide for her communities and refers to it as community investment. The family investment is not in capital equipment or real estate, but in people, paper and postage. The product may have no monetary value once consumed, but the information and awareness provided to its communities is priceless.
The Oshkosh Herald and Neenah News are primarily advertising supported. They are subsidized by a membership program where loyal readers pay an annual fee to support the operating costs of the newspapers and its staff. In return, event tickets and special items are offered to the members as a Thank You for their support.
The current printed newspapers of Oshkosh Herald LLC reach more than 55,000 households in Winnebago County.