It’s been another highly active news cycle week as we all read about the tragic death of George Floyd, racial tensions, violent protests, a social media battle, space travel and the ongoing battle to stop the spread of COVID-19. These stories along with many others had your local news media team scratching their heads a few times a day as to what goes on the front pages of your newspapers.
At the same time our multimedia sales teams are working very hard to build comprehensive marketing programs for our print publications, websites, email marketing, online search, promotions and digital services to get our local businesses back on track. Of course, the rest of the Sun team members are doing their part to publish in print and online every single day.
As we move forward during this crisis, I want to keep the readers informed as to how your newspaper is doing to survive the pandemic too. We’re just like any other business; we had to make drastic cuts in our expenses to make up for the sudden losses in advertising, digital, event and circulation revenue. News media companies across the country had to do the same. Just like many businesses, some media companies did not survive. They’re closed, leaving communities without local news. We’re not going to let that happen to our communities.
In addition to my role at the Sun, I serve as the incoming chairman for the Florida Press Association (FPA). The FPA includes all of the daily and most of the weekly newspapers in the state in its membership. The organization is doing everything in its power to serve Florida media companies and help them survive the pandemic.
Our smallest weekly newspaper members are often the most vulnerable during recessions and natural disasters. Many of these newspapers have a handful of employees to handle all the challenging aspects of running a newspaper. I spoke to one of those publishers who now spends a day labeling the newspapers to be mailed along with some community volunteers who are trying to save their newspaper. That publisher answers subscriber phone calls, reports the news, writes a column and manages the distribution. She does it with a smile and love of her community.
I read a story this week about a community out west that was trying to save its local newspaper after the owner had to close it to retire. Those community leaders were shocked with the complexity of running a newspaper.
When I talk about the complexities of running newspapers, I usually describe it as running many companies all in one.
It’s a news company that gathers local news and information to publish.
It’s a technology company that runs websites, email databases and digital marketing services.
It’s a marketing company that sells and designs ads and digital services to local businesses.
It’s an events company running expos, concerts and banquets.
It’s a manufacturing company that prints hundreds of publications all across the state, and here in our communities.
It’s a distribution company that delivers to thousands of households and retail stores seven days a week.
The good news: We’re seeing slow signs of improvement. More and more businesses are opening up and beginning to advertise to the consumers again. But, many lost so much revenue during the closure that they just can’t afford to advertise yet.
At the Sun Coast Media Group, we’re continuing to sign up local businesses for an advertising match program of up to $2.5 million to help our local businesses get back on their feet during this off season. We normally talk about the off-season because about 30 percent of our residents have gone north. This year, some of those seasonal residents are still here. They decided to stay-at-home with us in Florida. Smart decision. We did pretty well in Florida compared to some of the northern states. But, there’s no such thing as an off-season this year. Businesses need to reach the approximately 70 percent of the year-round residents.
The local businesses need our support now.
All of us at the Sun are with you in this fight against COVID-19. We’ll be here with you when we can celebrate the end of this deadly pandemic too.
Stay safe everyone.
Glen Nickerson is the publisher and editor of The Daily Sun. He can be reached at [email protected].
