To our many advertisers, readers, various supporters, and the community-at-large, the time has come for me to announce that I am retiring from Westside News. I do this with a heavy heart. For more than 52 years, I have been associated with the business that eventually became Westside News – beginning with addressing newspapers for delivery by the post office and delivering papers to drop locations, to ad and page design, to sales representative, to company manager and finally, as publisher.
I am enormously proud of my association with Westside News and its predecessors. I was provided an opportunity, and with enthusiasm, desire, hard work, fortitude, and dedication, I was able to build a publishing company that produced weekly publications as well as monthly magazines. It was a great challenge and gave me great joy. And, it still does today. I love serving the west side communities and having the opportunity to come to know such a loyal readership.
I am proud of my staff, which to this day is second to none in its desire to provide the best possible service to our communities, and the many businesses that have supported those efforts over the years. The many awards that Westside News has received from our state association are all due to the efforts of those individuals that comprise our staff.
I am proud of the quality of our print products, and the service they provided to our communities. And, I am also proud of our growth in website design, and social media platforms, which have enabled us to remain flexible, and communicate with various constituents in the way they want, and when they want it. Only a well-trained, and dedicated staff can maintain that level of commitment and quality.
As in all things in life, the season has come for me to move on, and to provide the opportunity for someone who has that same burning desire, as I did so many years ago, to take Westside News to a higher level of communication. Therefore, I am placing Westside News up for sale.
This is not for the faint of heart. The work is demanding, the hours long, the need great, but the rewards are manifold. Print publication is still the heart of our business. But we have maintained the flexibility and the commitment to deliver news in the modern world of social media and other platforms. The challenge now is to find the right person, who has the wherewithal and the gumption to meld the two forms of communication and take them both to a higher plane. This is a business opportunity that typically comes along only once in decades. It will require someone who doesn’t mind working seven days a week to return to the profitable status Westside News once enjoyed before the Great Recession of 2008 and Covid-19.
It is important to note that if anyone thinks that print is dead, he or she must think again. The number of people in our market that look forward to receiving our publications is greater than 60 percent. According to a 20-something staff member from the MARION Integrated Marketing Agency:
- Printed ads are often more trusted than digital ads. With an increased volume of scams on the internet, print media marketing creates a sense of trust and credibility that digital marketing alone cannot provide.
- Reading print works better for retention. Studies show that people read slower when reading text on paper instead of on a screen. This achieves higher retention rates compared to digital.
- Print materials are tangible and memorable. In a world of endless scrolling and popup ads, print collateral makes it easier for people to remember and recall when making purchasing decisions.
It is difficult to say goodbye to something that has been a part of my life for over 52 years, but I know the time is right. I thank all of you – my staff, businesses, advertisers, the community-at-large, and my family for all your support during these years. I am a lucky person in so many ways. I could not have asked for a better way to make a living. I am grateful to have served our communities, and I am appreciative of your sustaining loyalty, as well as the kindness all of you have exhibited during these five plus decades. My life has been enriched by serving you all. My hope is that there is someone who will feel the passion I have had, to continue the work of Westside News, and further develop its role in the community. If interested, please contact me at keith.ryan@westsidenewsny.com.
Sincerely, and with gratitude
Keith A. Ryan
Publisher, Westside News
