You may know Vim Wilkinson through her family’s years in Somers, or recognize her work in the pages of Hudson Valley Living.
Now, I’m pleased to introduce her to our readers in a new role: Associate Publisher.
Hiring someone can take a leap of faith. So can promoting someone. With Vim, I didn’t hesitate. I don’t give someone a title with “publisher” in it lightly; it carries real responsibility for the direction of a media company, and naming Vim associate publisher reflects both the importance of this role and my confidence in her.
One of Vim’s first contributions was to bring Lauren Freeman, our director of finance and my wife, more fully into those leadership conversations. Lauren has long played an essential role in the business. Vim recognized the value of bringing the three of us together as a management team, drawing on our different perspectives to make better decisions.
A central priority is strengthening how we serve the businesses that help sustain our local newspapers.
Halston Media publishes six newspapers — The Somers Record, Yorktown News, Mahopac News, The Katonah-Lewisboro Times, North Salem News and The Mt. Kisco-Bedford Times — along with Hudson Valley Living. Together with our websites, email newsletter and social media presence, these publications give local businesses effective, affordable ways to reach customers throughout our communities.
The principle guiding that work is one Vim has already put into practice: understand the business, understand the audience, and build something that makes sense for both.
Vim brought more than 20 years of experience in television production, marketing, sponsorship development and brand strategy when she joined us in 2021.
A graduate of Western Michigan University with a degree in broadcast and cable production and a minor in journalism, she began her television career in Malaysia, working in on-air promotions and receiving the TV3 Best On-Air Promo Award. She later joined Measat Broadcasting, Malaysia’s first satellite television network, working on high-profile advertising campaigns for audiences and brands across Malaysia and the broader Asian market.
In 2001, she founded Camera Culture Productions, where she created, directed and produced Malaysia’s first home makeover reality television series. Through an innovative sponsorship model, she partnered with international brands and businesses both large and small. The program became a household name and ran for 14 seasons over seven years.
That experience brought together skills we draw on every day in community publishing: telling compelling stories, understanding audiences and helping businesses connect with them.
Vim’s connection to our communities is also personal.
She and her husband, Dr. Michael Wilkinson, a chiropractor who grew up in Purdys, have deep roots in Somers. His family has called the town home for more than 56 years. The couple raised their two children, Jay and Julia, in Somers, where both followed their father through the Somers school system.
Today, Jay is a senior studying computer science at Tufts University in the Boston area. Julia is a junior studying applied economics and management at Cornell University’s Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, one of the nation’s top-ranked undergraduate business programs.
Both were student-athletes at Somers High School and left their mark on its swim and dive program as record holders. Julia was named Female Student-Athlete of the Year, while Jay received the Somers High School Impact Award.
Those family ties are an important part of the perspective Vim brings to her work. The towns we cover are places where she and her family have built their lives.
Readers have already seen Vim’s influence in Hudson Valley Living.
When she joined us, Hudson Valley Living was simply an editorial section. She transformed it into one of our signature brands, giving it the look and feel of a high-end lifestyle magazine while keeping it on newsprint. She also built a loyal base of advertisers who continue to invest because they believe in the product and trust the ideas behind it.
More recently, Vim served as project editor for our America 250 commemorative publications, coordinating editorial, sales and design across five special publications.
America 250 was one of the most ambitious publishing efforts in our company’s history. I saw her bring people together across departments, work closely with advertisers and turn a large idea into a successful finished product.
In her new role, Vim will work closely with our sales team to bring that same care and coordination to advertising. She will help businesses think beyond individual ads and develop campaigns around their goals, audiences and budgets.
“Our goal is simple, but significant to the hyperlocal platform we have inherited,” Vim said. “We want to develop practical, affordable campaigns that make the most of every advertising dollar while utilizing the full strength of everything Halston Media has to offer.”
At the heart of that approach is the value of local relevance.
“Businesses are naturally drawn to advertising opportunities that promise huge audiences because the numbers sound impressive,” Vim said. “But for a restaurant, boutique, spa or professional practice serving our towns, reaching more people isn’t necessarily the same as reaching more potential customers.”
She encourages businesses to build recognition and trust in the communities where their customers actually live.
“When something important happens in town, people know where to turn. They read their local newspaper, visit our websites, subscribe to our newsletters and follow our community coverage. Those are also the people shopping locally and hiring local services. Effective marketing isn’t about casting the widest net. It’s about casting the right net.”
That philosophy will guide how we bring our print and digital platforms together.
“Our newspapers are the foundation because they provide something incredibly valuable: a trusted and credible connection to the community,” Vim said.
She also wants to help small businesses make advertising a consistent part of their planning.
“Advertising shouldn’t be something you think about only when business slows down or when there is extra money to spend,” she said. “It should be part of the business plan from the very beginning, just like budgeting for equipment, inventory or operating expenses.”
In the months ahead, we plan to introduce new advertising initiatives, expanded marketing opportunities and campaign concepts for businesses of different sizes and budgets.
I’m looking forward to this next stage, with Vim helping lead the way. She understands the responsibility that comes with being part of a community newspaper, and she brings creativity and care to the relationships that make it possible.
“Our communities are unique, and the businesses that serve them deserve marketing solutions built specifically for them,” Vim said. “That’s what we’re building.”
To advertise in any of Halston Media’s newspapers or on its digital platforms, call 914-202-2392 or email ads@halstonmedia.com.
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