There has been a lot of talk about the future of the newspaper business. In fact, if you do a Google search with the phrase “newspapers are dying,” more than 29 million results pop up.
Many people believe that newspapers are a thing of the past. However, there are several visionaries who are bullish on newspapers, especially local community reporting. Among the experts is Warren Buffet. In the past few years, his company, Berkshire Hathaway, has snapped up newspapers, both large and small, and now manages 31 dailies and 50 weeklies.
You do not have to be in the newsprint industry to understand the value of local newspapers. Whether appearing on newsprint, glossy paper or a screen, local news is the cornerstone to any community. People’s desire to stay in-the-know about their community has sustained the industry through its evolution. But some folks have been predicting the extinction of newspapers for almost a century.
Radio was expected to kill the industry, but that did not happen. In the 1950s, television was touted as the paper slayer, but newspapers continued to thrive. Now, the Internet, providing instant online news, is predicted to be the downfall of print news industry.
However, it is becoming clear that weekly and daily newspapers are adapting and evolving, and the Internet is helping these news organizations reach huge audiences that they previously could not reach.
Today, online news sources are proving that readers do, in fact, have an insatiable appetite for news. They want to know what’s going on in the world, the nation, their state and especially their hometowns and backyards. News consumption has increased dramatically.
Unfortunately, newspapers that have failed to adapt to the new consumption habits are the ones struggling to survive.
As a family-owned, local newspaper, it is our responsibility, our duty and our obligation to:
• Provide positive local news;
• Foster a sense of community;
• Encourage civic and political involvement, and
• Assist local businesses to grow and connect within the community.
Miami’s Community Newspapers has remained committed to serving the residents of Miami-Dade County for nearly 60 years. We currently publish 11 editions of local newspapers, including Aventura News, Brickell Tribune, Coral Gables News, Cutler Bay News, Doral News, Kendall Gazette, Miami Beach News, Palmetto Bay News, Pinecrest Tribune, South Miami News, and Sunny Isles Beach Sun. We also publish a very popular health and wellness magazine called Inspire Health.
Miami’s Community Newspapers is online, too. We reach hundreds of thousands of readers digitally with our respected website. We share valuable information with more than 50,000 followers on our social media platforms and more than 200,000 subscribers on our e-newsletters.
Today, these communications components are a major part of our business model. We also offer various marketing and public relations services, such as creating and distributing videos for local businesses and hosting Lunch and Learn sessions that bring community leaders together to share information.
The entire team at Miami’s Community Newspapers is committed to being involved in the neighborhoods we serve. Our devoted team is comprised of a few recent college graduates who keep us on our toes as well as several experts who have been with us for many years.
We know the communities we serve because our roots are here. We live here, our families are here, we go to school here and we shop here, especially at locally owned businesses. As the saying goes, we’re “boots on the ground.” This level of community involvement has helped us adapt, evolve and thrive.
Miami’s Community Newspapers is proud to support our local schools, local politics and local businesses, large and small. We report on your kids’ sports teams, park events in your area and activities at your places of worship. We have local knowledge and vast historic perspective. We do not shy away from controversial stories. We are not afraid to criticize the local government, and we call out elected officials when needed. We take our craft seriously and, sometimes, we have a little fun, too. It is worth mentioning that we are most likely your most trusted news source these days because there are no dubious overseas forces at play in our editorial department!
Newspapers are not dying — they are changing. And I am proud to say that Miami’s Community Newspapers and many other locally produced newspapers across the country are alive and well.
