A letter of thanks to our community

Posted

Newspapers are dying. I hear it all the time; on the news, from strangers, acquaintances, even from some customers. To be sure, it’s hard to hear … every single time. Not because this is the business I have chosen to be in, and have been most of my life, but because for this local newspaper company it is simply not true.

Certainly some newspapers are dying; some already have died. Many of this country’s large daily newspapers, and some smaller community newspapers, have been popular investment targets of private equity firms and hedge funds over the last 20 years. Sadly, these newspapers have been squeezed to death by unrealistic financial demands of their corporate overseers, on top of carrying untenable debt loads.

Fortunately, the East Bay Media Group does not suffer with these financial burdens. For almost 200 years we have been an independent, family-owned local business. Our independence has allowed us to remain true to our longstanding responsibility to the community and our role of holding local public institutions of power and the government leaders who run them, accountable and transparent. Our only business commitment is to publish objective, useful and unique local content for our readers, as well as delivering results to our advertisers. In these endeavors, we answer only to our customers.

As we head into a new decade, I am happy to report that your local newspaper company is doing well. As the newspaper of record in the communities we serve we continue to enjoy strong support from our readers. In fact, in the past two years our paid circulation has grown 5% each year. Hardly a death warrant.

Furthermore, in 2019 more than 1,500 local businesses, organizations and individuals have utilized our newspapers and related website for their advertising needs. I am typically very reticent to blow our own horn, however it is important to me that you know your local newspaper company is alive and well.

Most importantly I want to thank our loyal readers and advertisers for your business. Our ability to continue to do the work we do in the community is only because of the support we have enjoyed from the community. My colleagues and I here at the East Bay Media Group are grateful beyond words. If you would like to join with us and support local journalism and, thus, our community please click here to subscribe to your local newspaper of choice. We need your support and involvement!

As I know, we can always do better and we don’t always get it right. Please feel free to share your thoughts with me about anything on your mind. I can be reached directly at 401-424-9140 or mhayes@eastbaymediagroup.com.

Sincerely,

Matt Hayes
Publisher, East Bay Media Group

2024 by East Bay Media Group

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Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.