Island Breeze to cease publication of print edition
After almost five years as a community newspaper for the Laguna Madre area, the Island Breeze will cease publication of its print edition with today’s issue.
"While the Island Breeze has been popular with readers, it has never caught on with local advertisers, and in today’s tough economic climate it is simply not a financially viable product going in to 2010," editor and general manager George Cox said. "This has been a very difficult decision and it is with great sadness that I make this announcement."
Published by Freedom Communications, the Island Breeze was launched in April 2005. Freedom also publishes the Coastal Current Weekly and the Real Estate Weekly out of its office on South Padre Island.
"We will continue to publish the Coastal Current every week and the Real Estate Weekly every other week," Cox said. "We will also continue to publish our online edition."
The real estate magazine has been inserted in the Island Breeze and the Valley Morning Star, and distributed free through single copy locations on South Padre Island. It will continue to be inserted in the Star and single copy distribution will be expanded to all existing Island Breeze locations.
"The number of Real Estate Weekly copies distributed will not change," Cox said. "We will work hard to make sure these advertisers get the best possible exposure in the Laguna Madre area."
The Coastal Current will not make any changes in its distribution to more than 1,100 locations throughout the Rio Grande Valley.
The Island Breeze was launched in April 2005 as a publication of the Valley Morning Star. The Real Estate Weekly was started later that same year.
In June 2006, Freedom Communications acquired the Coastal Current from its founder, Jim Goller. At that time, the operations of the Coastal Current, Island Breeze and Real Estate Weekly were consolidated into a single operation.
"From the beginning, the Island Breeze set out to serve the communities of the Laguna Madre with local news and information in an entertaining format," Cox said. "I’m proud of the work that was done by the original editor, Ryan Henry, and all the other journalists that have been a part of the Breeze."
Cox was editor of the Valley Morning Star when the Island Breeze started, and was responsible for developing the original content plan. He became general manager of the Island publications when Freedom purchased the Coastal Current.
"Even though the Island Breeze will no longer publish, we will continue to serve our readers and advertisers in the Laguna Madre area and other parts of the Valley with the same level of service," Cox said. "We recently moved into a new office and look forward to the new year."
He said the Island Breeze covered news and events that ranged from local government updates to features about the area.
"We always tried to offer stories that reflected the diversity of this area, from the people and businesses to the natural habitat and wildlife that make this area unique," Cox said.
The paper also wrote about major events, with perhaps the biggest story being Hurricane Dolly and its impact on the area.
"We struggled through that storm and its aftermath with the rest of the community," Cox said. "It was a difficult and trying time that still has a lingering impact on the local economy."
The publications’ operations recently moved into new offices in the Suites at Sunchase building, 1004 Padre Blvd., Suite K-1. The company’s website can be viewed at www.spislandbreeze.com and www.coastalcurrent.com.
