By Deon Ebanks Publisher of The Cayman Reporter
The Cayman Reporter has announced it will be increasing its print publication to become a daily newspaper beginning in July.
Publisher for The Cayman Reporter, Mr Deon Ebanks stated, “Due to client demands and the recent change in government policy towards the [Cayman] Compass we have decided to increase the print newspaper to a daily. We intend to begin printing two issues per week in June then increasing to a daily newspaper in July.”
Last week Friday during Finance Committee premier Alden McLaughlin took aim at a Cayman Compass editorial calling it ‘treasonous’. East End MLA, Arden McLean thereafter proposed that members of the House vote to prevent the government from spending money on advertising with the Cayman Compass. On Monday, 8 June MLA Arden McLean moved another motion to correct a mistake made in the Friday’s motion, thereafter a short debate took place on the proposed government boycott of advertising with the Cayman Compass newspaper. MLA’s voted in favour of the motion stopping all government advertisements from being advertised in the Cayman Compass.
At a time when North American and European trends have seen newspapers reduce, and in some circumstances eliminate their print editions due to the lack of advertising revenue. When asked whether The Reporter was concerned about the challenges of becoming a daily newspaper Mr Ebanks responded, “Our local economy is somewhat different from that of North America or Europe where there has been a significant shift from print to digital products. Locally the populace is still reliant upon newspapers to see job openings and government notices. Until that changes a daily print newspaper can be justified as there should be enough advertising revenue to support operations.”
Mr Ebanks continued, “We are also putting together a larger editorial team to raise the level of reporting and journalism in the country. ”
The Cayman Reporter currently prints a weekly newspaper on Fridays and publishes news articles to its website and mobile apps on a daily basis.
IMAGE: Deon Ebanks
SOURCE: http://www.caymanreporter.com/2015/06/11/cayman-reporter-become-daily-newspaper/