EDITORIAL

Five Years Later, The Bay Beat Goes On

In late 1992, our family had an idea: Let's start a newspaper.

"Are you nuts?" asked the pros, almost in unison. "Don't you know that people don't read nowadays? And those who do won't bother with an upstart paper."

Don't you realize that family-owned papers can't survive? Virtually every newspaper, magazine and television station is owned by conglomerates and big corporations, they warned.

Thanks for the assurances, we replied. Then we dug in our heels. Finally, on Earth Day, 1993, 5,000 issues of the first New Bay Times hit the streets of Chesapeake Country. (Sorry if they looked a tad homely.) They went so fast we had another 5,000 printed a week later.

That was five years ago and, as you can see from this issue, New Bay Times is still kicking. Kicking some behinds, as a matter of fact, and taking names along the way. And, we hope, we're not homely any more.

Why are we still around? It has less to do with our stubborn streak than with the good sense of you, our readers. Fact is, those naysayers back in the beginning were selling short the good people along the Chesapeake Bay.

They didn't understand that you wanted more stories about recreation, the environment, Chesapeake history and Bay people as well as tips on our quest for a high-quality life.

They didn't understand that people everywhere already have enough news about crime.

They didn't understand that Chesapeake Country is a community of interests, not just a bunch of towns strung together and competing against one another.

They didn't understand that our region - from Solomons to Severna Park and beyond - lacked an inspired calendar of events for fast-moving readers. As well as your own strong want-ads.

They didn't understand that our 40,000-plus readers each week would support our advertisers as loyally as you do.

Perhaps, on our fifth birthday, they understand now that the people along the Chesapeake Bay are special and can't be taken for granted. So on this occasion, as we receive your well-wishes, we thank you for proving wrong those "pros."

Note: We also invite you to eat and drink heartily at our Bivalve Birthday Bash on Sunday, May 3, from noon to 5pm at Surfside 7 on Rt. 2 south of the South River Bridge. An auction of over 100 fine items and services - from art to crabs to massages to skipjack tours to nights on the town to Orioles tickets - will benefit the Oyster Recovery Partnership.

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VolumeVI Number 17
April 30 - May 6, 1998
New Bay Times

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