When the Arizona Silver Belt was abruptly shut down by its corporate owners, it was a shock to us all. What struck me was how a corporate owner could so easily shutter our local weekly paper.
Under their 15-plus years of remote ownership, the paper had become a shell of its former self, losing any of the value it once had. This same situation is playing out in many small, rural communities like ours.
And this is happening at a time when we are navigating numerous economic and social challenges. Relying on Facebook memes and social media sites to connect or inform us seems to have the opposite effect. A local newspaper, owned and operated by people who live here – people you see at Safeway and who cover local events and sit on local boards – offers a more authentic connection to the issues and challenges we face.
So I decided to take Globe Miami Times into new territory and fill the void left by the Silver Belt. We’re moving from monthly to an every other week publishing schedule.
We’ll tell you about things to do. We’ll showcase stories that remind us why we love living here. We’ll let you know who won the big game and who graduated or got married. We’ll help businesses grow and connect with new customers. We’ll deliver news updates that keep us informed and engaged, and we’ll keep an eye on government, local leaders and influencers.
GMT’s format has been redesigned to fit this new traditional news format, ensuring the paper is engaging and reader-friendly.
Our new website further expands GMT’s reach and frequency. We’ll post to our site between issues, and you can help by contributing your news tips, obituaries, announcements, and (soon) classifieds. Digital ads will give businesses more flexible, real-time options to drive business.
We’re expanding our distribution and circulation with new rack locations and additional social and digital options.
And we’re switching from free to paid circulation. Each copy of the paper will cost $2, less than the cost of a cup of coffee. Those dollars will help us attract new stores to distribute the paper and will help pay for some of our enhancements.
Our increased publishing cycle means we’ll be delivering more timely coverage of local government, schools, sports and community events. For advertisers, it means more opportunities to connect with audiences in the moment — to promote specials, launch new offerings and share timely updates.
Those are huge changes and a big risk. I’m investing in the paper and in our communities. For us, all this means tighter deadlines, more consistent reporting and a heavier lift for staff and contributors. By adopting a biweekly rhythm, Globe Miami Times is embracing the challenge of delivering coverage closer to real-time — while maintaining our hallmark focus on thoughtful, community-centered storytelling.
We’re proud to take this step — not because it’s easy, but because it matters. Globe, Miami and surrounding communities deserve consistent, independent local news. With your support, GMT is ready to deliver.
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