The Phoenix

By Claire Goodman, Managing Editor
Posted 8/1/19

You did it. You saved the Katy Times.

Katy’s oldest news source will continue to tell Katy’s stories with integrity and passion just like it has for over 100 years.

Fenice Community Media …

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The Phoenix

Posted

You did it. You saved the Katy Times.

Katy’s oldest news source will continue to tell Katy’s stories with integrity and passion just like it has for over 100 years.

Fenice Community Media has purchased the Katy Times from Hartman Newspapers, and they did it because of you.

I’m not being dramatic here. My new employers told me this directly.

Fenice Community Media decided to take on a massive financial investment to save this paper because they saw how much the community loved the Katy Times and the lengths to which they would go to save it.

They believed that a paper can survive and thrive in a place like this because of you.

The way you rallied when you heard that the Katy Times was closing: I’ve never seen anything like it. People made a Facebook page called “Save the Katy Times” and over 400 members joined it.

I can’t put into words what that means to me, and I put things into words for a living.

I have so much love in my heart for this community, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I still have a job because of you. If I’m really being honest, it’s not even about the paper. This feeling I have is about Katy.

How many towns watched their local papers die without a thought? How many cities saw the end of their stories and shrugged?

When you fought for the Katy Times, you fought for Katy.

You fought for your culture, your history and your community. You fought for your past and your future.

I’ve never been so proud to call this place my home.

Fenice Community Media has asked me to continue to serve as the managing editor of Katy Times, and I have enthusiastically accepted. I promise, I will write your stories to the very best of my abilities. I will do my best to be at as many events, gatherings and civic ceremonies as I possibly can.

I’m excited about Fenice and everything they want to do with the paper. They have so many fantastic ideas, and I think you’re going to love the new direction of the Katy Times.

My job description, per their new-hire paperwork states, “This position will be responsible for ensuring high quality news content is produced and delivered to our readers — via a

variety of platforms including print, digital, mobile, video, and possibly other mediums — on a daily basis.”

That means I’ll continue to produce the same highly-relevant content for the community but with a few new platforms. You’ll be seeing a lot more of me- on the internet, anyway- since I’m not sure it’s logistically possible to spend more time out in the community than I already do.

I’ll be stepping out from behind the computer and delivering more news to you directly. The way I interpret it is that I’ll be bridging the gaps between print and broadcast media while still producing the same quality print newspaper you love.

It seems a bit poetic that the name “Fenice” is the Italian word for phoenix. The glorious, mythical bird that rises from the ashes seems a fitting icon for a newspaper that was abruptly shut down but then immediately resurrected by a community that loved it and a company that saw its value.

Katy Times is back and here to stay, thanks to you.