Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
In light of changes in news consumption habits and member needs, the MMA will be discontinuing publication of its flagship publication, The Beacon, with the December issue.
The monthly newsletter has kept city and town leaders informed through 10 gubernatorial administrations, dozens of state budget cycles, and extensive technological change. But as 2026 comes to a close, the MMA will be evolving the way it communicates with members.
In April, the Communication Team began a process to re-evaluate the products it provides, in an effort to deliver the greatest impact. The team studied its analytics data, conducted a member survey, and held two member focus groups. The feedback was that, while The Beacon is highly regarded and trusted, the format (a large monthly PDF) is not optimal for today’s member needs.
Members indicated that they want content that’s “skimmable” (like our Weekly Review), easily sharable, and searchable (through their email inbox). Therefore, the labor-intensive Beacon production process is not a very effective use of staff time.
“The Beacon has had an amazing run,” said MMA Communications Director John Ouellette. “But in communications we must always be thinking about what works best for our audience, and so change is part of the equation. We remain committed to our mission of providing the best and most timely information we can to help our members in the work that they do, and to promoting the value of the MMA.”
In the coming weeks and months, the Communications Team will be:
• Reinvesting in the popular Weekly Review newsletter (and adding current Beacon recipients to the list)
• Continuing upgrades to the mma.org website, including the search function, Data Hub and overall design
• Providing a monthly email with a list of headline links, to allow for easy sharing within city and town halls
• Creating a library of one-page explainer pieces about fundamental aspects of municipal operations, to help with member and public education
One year ago, the MMA added a podcast (The 351) to its communications portfolio. And media relations has become increasingly important, so that the word gets out about the work our members are doing and the real challenges they face.
“Everything that we’ve been doing in The Beacon will have a place in the future iterations of our work,” Ouellette said. “We’re getting those details pinned down now. As always, our members will be centered in the work that we do.”
The MMA will publish a Beacon retrospective in the final, December issue.