The Baltimore Banner was awarded the Best Moves of 2024 for the addition of obituaries and paid death notices to its website. 

This award is chosen by the viewers of the MDDC Contest broadcast.  The Best Moves category asks “what was the most important thing your organization did during the contest year?”  Ideas implemented could come from any area of the business, and nominee interviews are recorded with video for judging. 

Partnering with Legacy.com, the Banner launched a cost-effective, online-only platform for paid notices, opening a new revenue stream and deepening community ties through collaborations with local funeral homes. They also hired a full-time obituary writer, creating opportunity to spotlight notable Baltimoreans and enrich their editorial offerings. 

To support this expansion, the product team seamlessly integrated obituaries into the Banner’s platform and launched a weekly newsletter to further engage readers. 

Since launch, over 70 news obituaries and nearly 800 paid notices have been published—boosting subscriptions, advertising revenue, and the Banner’s role as a trusted community voice.