Local Newspaper CEO Visits LSU’s Manship School to Champion Community Journalism
Payne emphasized the importance of community journalism and engaged with students, repeatedly reciting his publication’s online link and leaving behind copies of the week’s print edition.
By Maddie Scott
Louisiana State University
BATON ROUGE, La. — The publisher and CEO of The Baton Rouge Weekly Press, Ivory D. Payne, has met some of the most influential figures in the world, including Prince, Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump.
“And now I’m meeting you guys,” Payne told a classroom of journalism students at Louisiana State University’s Manship School of Mass Communication.
During his hour-and-15-minute lecture, Payne emphasized the importance of community journalism and engaged with students, repeatedly reciting his publication’s online link and leaving behind copies of the week’s print edition.
“If you want to relay something that’s happening—news in the community, in your state, in your city, just around the corner—you have to believe that you are the best storyteller,” Payne said.
As a guest lecturer, Payne aimed to inspire the next generation of journalists and highlight the critical role of community newspapers. He shared the origins of The Weekly Press, founded 46 years ago in his family’s living room. He recalled how, as a teenager, he and his two brothers thought they were gathering for Bible study until their father unveiled a trash bag full of newspapers and announced they were starting a family business.
“I just wanted to watch cartoons,” said Payne, then about 14 years old. “But he said, ‘We’re going to be in the newspaper business, and all of my sons are going to be graphic designers.’”
His father later rented an office on Scotland Avenue, complete with an executive office, a layout room, and a dedicated space for his mother to write and type stories.
A graduate of Scotlandville High School and Southern University, Payne initially pursued a career in architecture, which led him to Columbus, Ohio, in 1990. However, with a sluggish job market and bills to pay, he returned to graphic design, securing work at various publications, including African-American-owned, The Communicator News, The Columbus Post, Who's Who in Black Publishing Company, and Urban Trendsetters News Magazine.
In 2013, Payne returned to Baton Rouge to care for his aging parents, embracing the chance to reconnect with his roots. After two decades away, he longed for Louisiana’s signature warmth—its hospitality, rich culinary traditions, and vibrant entertainment scene. 'We are one of the greatest,' he said, reflecting on the deep pride he holds for his home state.
His return presented an opportunity to continue the family legacy. Today, The Weekly Press is the oldest African-American-owned newspaper in Baton Rouge. Payne runs a small newsroom with volunteer writers, publishing articles online almost daily and a print edition weekly. The publication covers a mix of national and local news and reaches an estimated 60,000 readers.
Payne’s father, Ivory J. Payne, now 89, remains involved as the paper’s top salesperson.
“My father still drives,” Payne said. “He still preaches. He still comes to the office and tries to take over.”
Each morning at 4 a.m., publisher Payne begins his day with prayer before calling his extensive network of community contacts—connections vital to the paper’s success. Without a full-time reporting staff, Payne relies on community members to keep him informed.
“We are just starting over again,” he said. “We are learning to meet different people in every part of the city. I believe that’s why I’m here today.”
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Editor’s Note: The Weekly Press is a media partner in the Louisiana Collegiate News Collaborative, an LSU-led initiative connecting media organizations across the state with university journalism students. The student’s work will be published by media partners with funding from the Henry Luce, John D., and Catherine T. MacArthur foundations. Participating universities include LSU, Southern University, Dillard University, Xavier University, Southeastern Louisiana University, Nicholls State University, Grambling State University, and Northwestern State University. The media partners are located near the communities covered by the students.
