A euphoric Letter from the Editor announced 15 months ago that I was taking over the position of Managing Editor of the Cedar Key News. Today I have to announce a major set-back in the newspaper`s fortunes, upsetting our hopes that we might continue to provide a platform for community members through our innovative mix of online and print activities. As a reminder, the Cedar Key News is a free-to-the-reader not-for-profit organization supported by our advertisers and by our members. Initially established as an online-only publication in early 2002 it soon added a print edition, and 800-1500 copies are presently distributed free of charge in the Cedar Key and Rosewood areas on alternate Thursdays. The online version receives more than 1,000 hits to the website each day; it is updated daily and typically has two or three new stories a day - not bad at all for a community of no more than 800 souls in the face of a fierce recession and the scourge of the social network. But, sadly, expanding business volumes do not always equate with healthy balance sheets, and things are at present looking rather bleak. The bottom line is that the newspaper`s net income has fallen from about $200 a month in 2010 to losses in 2011 and 2012 - and this despite the lift from the wildly popular St Patrick`s Day event, and holding our expenditures to the very minimum. So, as of today, we have insufficient funds for publishing and distributing what should be our two next print editions of January 17 and 31. The board of directors has therefore, after much soul-searching and with much regret, decided that we temporarily suspend our print publication. This will allow us to explore our options for any future revisions to the print edition, and I can also tell you that we will be launching a new and improved news website this month that will boost our online activities. Our advertisers will in the meantime be hearing from Ada Lang about their advertising position, or can email her at "adalang@bellsouth.net".
Colin Dale
Managing Editor
Cedar Key News | 
