WE CAN’T WAIT TO HELP BUILD YOUR BRAND
Start with a long-time dedication to quality journalism, add in loyal readers, then stir in a dedication to affordability and integral customer service, and you’ve got a winning formula. Below find information on all of the options we offer our advertisers.
Or if you’d like to have the whole shebang in a handy pdf, download our full 2021 Media Kit.
Contact the advertising team at sales@moonshineink.com, or (530) 587-3607.
Print Advertising
Book It
Moonshine Ink is North Lake Tahoe/Truckee’s independent newspaper, on streets since 2002. An estimated 24,000 sets of eyes hit the print pages each month, and 33% Read Every Edition Cover To Cover.
Our readers are educated, passionate about our community, and conscious supporters of advertisers. The paper is distributed to more than 250+ drop zones in Truckee, Tahoe's North & West shores, Incline Village, Kings Beach, Tahoe City, Tahoma, and Reno + Subscribers across the country.
In addition to providing the community with quality in-depth reporting and information, we offer local businesses and organizations an effective and affordable marketing outlet.
We're here to help you look good
Full hour of design every 3 months
BOOK IT: See deadlines in Calendar tab. Email us at sales@moonshineink.com when you’re ready for success.
PAYMENT: Payment is due up front. If you’d like to be billed monthly, there’s an installment fee of $4 per payment. We accept checks, cash, VISA, Mastercard, Discover, and AMEX.
COMMISSIONS: The above rates are non-commissionable.
COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION: Receive a complimentary subscription for the duration of your ad with a multi-run booking.
REPRINT FEE: To reuse artwork created by Moonshine Ink in other publications, on flyers, on your website, or other promotional items, we require a reprint licensing fee of $50.
STOCK IMAGES REIMBURSEMENT: We can provide stock images for your ads starting at $15. Final cost depends on the size; it’s an additional $7.50 per stock image size increment (typically no more than two sizes up a full page).
PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES: We offer custom photography services, billed at $50/hr.
THE FINE PRINT: Advertising does not affect editorial content. Moonshine Ink’s editorial and advertising departments are separate. If an advertiser wants to express an opinion they can do so in an ad or in a letter to the editor. Moonshine Ink reserves the right to change advertising rates with a 30-day notice. We also reserve the right to reject or cancel any advertising. Moonshine Ink assumes no financial liability for errors or omission of copy. Advertisers assume full responsibility for the truthful content of their advertising message. We work hard to have your ad print legibly, though offer no refunds or credits if more than 75% of the copy is legible. Gradients and fades can possibly fluctuate due to the nature of newsprint. An 18% annual finance charge will be added to unpaid balances of more than 30 days.
Start Earning Discounts Now
We reward commitment! Unlike with most fine print you see, these discounts can be combined!
MULTIPLE RUN DISCOUNTS: Repeat exposure of your ad reaps rewards and gets you a multiple run discount, up to 20% off! These discounts are for consecutive months and signed contracts only.
• 3 times = 5% OFF
• 6 times = 10% OFF
• 12 times = 20% OFF
NONPROFIT DISCOUNT: We offer an additional 5% discount off print ads for nonprofit organizations.
SPECIAL PUB AD BUY: Get 10% off when you book an ad in both Tahoe Summer Lovin’ and Tahoe Winter Times.
PLACEMENT: Reserve the inside back, inside front, or page 3 for $150. Or reserve a right hand read for $75. Applies to regular Moonshine print edition and special publications. Rate qualifies for multiple run discounts.
2021 Print Calendar Print edition publishes on second Thursday of every month.
Build It
We’re here to help you look good. Every ad, image, and page is carefully reviewed and optimized for press.
Advertising clients are eligible to receive a full hour of in-house design every three months at no charge. For ads in subsequent editions, the following rates apply:
• One-line text change is at no charge.
• Minor changes to subsequent ads are $15.
• Major changes are billed at professional design rate of $50/hr.
WHEN SUBMITTING YOUR OWN ARTWORK
Moonshine Ink prints on a web press. Two HUGE considerations of this type of printing are:
REGISTRATION: The web press moves incredibly fast. Four plates line up to make every element on the page. To keep things sharp, it helps to make texs few inks (CMYK) as possible. And …
DENSITY: Newsprint is porous. Ink seeps outward from the point where it gets put, which is called dot gain. So, lightening up the ink levels is preferred. If ink density is too high then the artwork starts looking muddy and may track to other parts of the page and publication.
With these two points in mind, here are some of the most important optimization tips for our press:
100% K: Set your black text and small to medium black artwork to 100%K, no other inks. In other words, not rich black.
OVERPRINT BLACK: In your document, set black text to overprint. If you do not know how, please let us know, and we may be able to help you find the setting.
MAKE IT POP: For logos, vector artwork, or text, keep colors to no more than 3 inks. Less is better. This will make the color vibrant.
REVERSE IT RIGHT: If there is a reverse text, make it at least 10 pt., thicken it up, and place it atop a 1- or 2-ink background color.
PHOTO ADJUSTMENTS are best adjusted to be lighter than you think. Sharpen those images so the edges are defined. We can help optimize photos.
YELLOW CAN BE HARD TO READ by itself when printed on newsprint so we suggest adding 10% magenta.
BLACK TEXT ON A SCREENED BOX: Make this screen a maximum of 30%. If the screen is darker, the type may be hard to read. Make the screen a minimum of 10% because anything lighter may not show up as much as you'd like.
DO NOT INCLUDE crop or registration marks.
DIGITAL FILES may be submitted as pdfs, jpgs, tifs, or eps.
ANY IMAGES OR ARTWORK need to be 300 dpi at actual size. Be sure to scan artwork at 300 dpi. Do not upsample images.
4-Column Format
5-Column Format
Regular Print Specials
THINK LOCAL is a signature on a statement saying we believe in Tahoe/Truckee and want to see a thriving community we all love.
Publishes Every Three Months, Includes Print & Online
Claim your spot for only $130! Save 10% when you book the year.
The Think Local ads are 2.33 x 2.33 square ads, with a consistent design between businesses. They include logo, tagline, contact (2 lines, most people do phone number and website), # employees, and years in business. That's it!
Love head-scratchers and want to encourage problem-solving in the community? Sponsor the most interactive page in the paper!! Your message is featured at the top of the page and online.
Publishes Every Month
$195, Save up to 20% when booking multiples
Parting Shot is a place for readers to share their work or special moments. The art and your ad land on the inside back of the print edition, which is printed on brighter white paper. That means they both shine!
Must be a 1/4 page horizontal ad, $75 guarantees your spot.
Our Readers
Gift Ideas
Publishes in the November Edition, Includes Print & Online
$149, Includes Print & Online
Save $50 when adding to a regular November edition ad.
Specs: Includes business name, phone number, website, physical address, title of Gift Pick, item description in 50 words or less, and a photo about 2.25 x 2.5 inches.
Seasonal Publications
Tahoe Summer Lovin’ & Tahoe Winter Times
On hold during COVID pandemic
Reach 33,000 Visitors & Residents
Fresh and compelling editorial 
11,000 copies inserted in regular Moonshine editions
4 months on shelves during each peak season
4,000 extra copies in key locations
| TSL & TWT Ad Size | One-Time Rate |
|---|---|
| Back page | $1,431 |
| Full page | $1,194 |
| 1/2 page | $693 |
| 1/4 Page | $396 |
| 1/8 page | $215 |
| Page 3, inside back or inside front | add $165 |
| Right-hand read or 1/4 ad on parting shot | add $83 |
Get 10% off when you book both! Publishes June (Tahoe Summer Lovin') and December (Tahoe Winter Times) — on shelves for 4 months.
| AD SIZE | WIDTH | HEIGHT |
|---|---|---|
| Back page with .375" bleed* | 9" | 11.125" |
| Back page | 7.5" | 9.5" |
| 1/2 page (v) | 3.69" | 9.375" |
| 1/2 page (h) | 7.5" | 4.63" |
| 1/4 page (v) | 3.69" | 4.63" |
| 1/4 page (h) | 7.5" | 2.25" |
| 1/8 page | 3.69" | 2.25" |
* Full page with bleed: Make your page size 8.25" x 10.375" and add a bleed of .375 on all sides. Safe area is 7.5" x 9.5"
Please note that publication size is smaller than regular edition.
Limited-Time Offers
Exclusive Special for Our New Clients
Want to reach 24,000 dedicated readers and save money? Make advantage of this special we crafted for new clients, where you choose any size for three months and get 30% off!
Email us today to find out more.
Minimum 1/8 page ad. Months booked must be consecutive. Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Digital Advertising
Website
30,000 9,000 | Dedicated readers return to the website often, especially for our online-exclusive stories. |
|---|
BANNER: On all pages — be on top of the world and everyone's mind! |  |
| Online Ad Size | Rate/Month |
|---|---|
| Banner, Premier | $280 |
| Banner | $150 |
| Sidebar, Premier | $150 |
| Sidebar | $115 |
| Inline Text Middle | $150 |
| Inline Text Bottom | $115 |
| Featured Event | $50 |
| Online Ad Size | Width | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Banner, incl. Premier | 728 pixels | 90 pixels |
| Sidebar, incl. Premier | 300 pixels | 250 pixels |
| Inline Text | 300 pixels | 250 pixels |
| Featured Event | 250 pixels | 250 pixels |
Our ads are based on industry sizes. Online ads should be built in RGB and saved as a gif, png, or jpg at 150 dpi. No flash is allowed. Provide a link to your website. Certain code-based ads are supported, please inquire.
More than 1,700 subscribers receive our email newsletter engaging readers on community issues every single week. $75 each
Includes display art and live text, both click through to URL
Art = 300 w x 250 h pixels (medium rectangle)
Text = Up to 230 characters. Be sure to include what text you’d like bold at the beginning, and what text you’d like to link to your URL toward the end.
On hold during COVID pandemic
WILDLY POPULAR TINY PORCH CONCERTS
Moonshine snags local or nationally famous bands passing through the area and films them in an unplugged-style concert on the tiny porch at our world headquarters.
Featuring Poor Man's Whiskey, Rainbow Girls, Willy Tea Taylor, Fruition, The Wailers, and more. See the full playlist.
TOTAL VIEWS: 308,500
Sponsor inspiring videos that are online for a lifetime!
| Sponsor Level | One-Time Rate |
|---|---|
| Lead Singer | $1100 |
| Back-up Vocals | $600 |