Thrive
St. Pete publications partner to propel local journalism
While local news outlets continue disappearing at an increasing – and alarming – rate, two St. Petersburg-based daily publications are working together to revitalize local journalism.
The Times Publishing Company, publisher of the Tampa Bay Times, and the Catalyst Media Group, parent company of the St. Pete Catalyst, have announced an innovative collaboration. Stakeholders believe the burgeoning partnership will ensure area residents receive more extensive and efficient news coverage.
The announcement coincides with recent studies showing an average of 2.5 local newspapers shuttered weekly in 2023. Catalyst publisher Joe Hamilton noted that a “healthy city needs a healthy flow of news.”
“From the largest investigative pieces to the smallest neighborhood bits, local news binds our community and helps define the narrative of our lives,” Hamilton said. “If circumstances demand we serve the community in aggregate, we’ll partner, support, give or whatever we need to do to meet the challenge.”
The Times, winner of 14 Pulitzer Prizes, will periodically share Catalyst articles in its daily digital editions and newspapers, delivered on Wednesday and Sunday. The publication, which originated in 1884, will also include that content in the new St. Petersburg Beacon.
Expected to launch in early 2025, the Beacon is a weekly community paper with a St. Pete focus. Subscribers will receive it as an insert in the Wednesday edition of the Times‘ printed paper. Nonsubscribers in select city zip codes will receive it for free. Anyone can access the Beacon online.
“We’re dedicated to providing trustworthy local reporting to Tampa Bay, as is the Catalyst,” said Conan Gallaty, CEO of the Times, in a prepared statement. “This collaboration helps us deliver more coverage our region needs.”
Hamilton stressed that the two publications will not coordinate coverage. The Catalyst remains autonomous, and its reporting process will remain unchanged.
However, the partnership will help mitigate duplicative reporting, which Hamilton believes will foster broader coverage, ultimately benefitting the surrounding community.
Hamilton shared that the partnership is essential to realizing Catalyst Media Group’s ultimate goal, Cityverse. “I believe Cityverse can revitalize local news and reconnect communities,” he said, adding, “Working with Times Publishing, our content can get to more people because of the large legacy distribution channels the Times has. That gives us a running start on showing the community how impactful Cityverse will be.”
Cityverse significantly innovates the local news business model, drastically reducing the reliance on advertising and content paywalls. As a geographically focused civic media network, Cityverse leverages the strategies and methods that drive national platforms and applies them locally as never before.
Gallaty recently joined the Cityverse Board of Advisors.
“I’m grateful to have an ally in Conan (Gallaty) who has an equally strong drive to solve the local news puzzle in a way that puts community first,” Hamilton said. “Ultimately, local journalism needs a new business model to survive, and that’s what Cityverse is.”
Statistics underscore Hamilton’s sentiment. Researchers at Northwestern University found that over half of U.S. counties are “news deserts” due to a lack of reliable reporting and information.
In addition, the Pew Research Center recently reported that 48% of Americans prefer digital pathways to local journalism, compared to just 37% in 2018. Despite recent struggles, the organization noted that 85% of adults believe area coverage is at least “somewhat important,” and 44% believe local news is “extremely or very important.”
Earlier this month, the Times announced it would offer buyouts to all full-time employees, including 100 newsroom journalists. In a letter to staffers, Gallaty said the company needed a 20% payroll deduction to reduce operational costs amid shrinking revenue.
At the time, Gallaty said there would be “product changes” as the publication could not “produce the same volume of work with fewer people.” Hamilton believes the recently announced partnership will allow both publications to “serve the community more efficiently and effectively.”
“As the local news environment continues to be challenging, it is more important than ever that organizations dedicated to responsible, high-quality journalism work together to tell the stories that matter in our day-to-day lives,” he added.
Hamilton said he has a little additional capital to raise for Cityverse. He plans to launch the ambitious platform six months after closing the funding round.
Matthew Goodner
August 22, 2024at7:43 pm
Iontb.com. Check out this local site.
Matthew Goodner
August 22, 2024at7:40 pm
I come to this site because you aren’t the Tampa Bay Times. There was a time when the Seminole Beacon (Tampa’Bay Newspapers) felt independent, but they let coverage from the Times into their circulation. Then I found out the Tampa Bay Times owns Tampa Bay Newspapers, which include the Seminole Beacon, Largo Bee, Belleair Bee, Clearwater Beacon and the Dunedin Beacon. Hopefully they do not infect this organization but it doesn’t look promising. I stopped reading the TB Times when they stopped delivering newspaper to my driveway even though I was paid the subscription. They have definitely fallen from grace and it is a shame. I grew up reading that paper, with the Neighborhood Times section and the awesome local high school sports coverage.
Billy Miller
August 22, 2024at3:11 pm
I forgot to mention that Joe Hamilton is a Florida Gator. Thank God for Gators!
Billy Miller
August 22, 2024at3:06 pm
This is good news for Catalyst news/information consumers. The Times has been in rough seas for a while now. Layoffs are rough on the Times staff and a news hungry St Pete. I have a home delivery subscription to the Times and even that is a hit or miss for a St Pete address, which is a shame because even in tropical storms the Times always made the driveway. Back then we had tenacious delivery folks. So best wishes and I look forward to your content as always.
Kathleen Ford
August 22, 2024at10:35 am
Stunning failure to report on City of St Petersburg Mayor’s unlawful bonuses to top salaried City management totaling a quarter million dollars, failure to comply with City appropriation ordinances and Florida Constitutional Ethics violations for public officials Art II, Sec 8 (d), which provides that “ Any public officer or employee who is convicted of a felony involving a breach of trust shall be subject to forfeiture of rights and privileges under a public retirement system or pension plan in such a manner as may be provided by law”.
Steve D
August 22, 2024at10:00 am
Hopefully, The Times Editorial Board will have no say in Catalyst news content. It will be easy to spot if they do.
George Pequignot
August 22, 2024at7:18 am
Very excited to see how Cityverse evolves.
Kara Wilson
August 21, 2024at3:48 pm
This is fantastic! What a great partnership.