Fracking’s Publishing Boom Revisited

In Sunday’s New York Times, Jim Malewitz of the Texas Tribune revisits the publishing boom that has erupted in South Texas with hydraulic fracturing. The story focuses on The Boom at Eagle Ford Shale, a newspaper published by Kathy Rudkin, who runs an advertising agency in Boerne. I first wrote about fracking’s publishing boom in my Forbes blog last year, and I, too, focused on Rudkin’s publication.

As the Times story notes, advertisers are begging to get into these shale-related papers and tap into the huge market that the Eagle Ford has become. Thousands of oilfield workers with lots of discretionary income and little do during their time off make for an enticing market for everyone from retailers to purveyors of hunting lodges. In fact, one of The Boom’s regular features is “Bored in Eagle Ford,” which covers leisure-time activities.

By the way, I should note that after I wrote my piece last year, Rudkin contacted me and asked if she could reprint some of my Forbes posts. So periodically, posts like this one appear in The Boom under my byline. I’ve even had a few featured on the front page.