While newspapers around the world have been closing, consolidating, cutting staff, outsourcing stories and selling out to hedge fund owners, the Keys Weekly continues to print its paper every week while enjoying a huge digital and social media following from around the world. And we have you, our readers and advertisers, to thank for that. From the bottom of our hearts, and from our families to yours, thank you for trusting us to tell your stories and keep you informed.
Though no one likes a braggart, perhaps you’ll indulge us a moment of proud reflection as we – your locally owned, locally staffed and locally committed newspaper – toot our own horn and look back on a successful and milestone 2023
Keys Weekly turns 20
September marked the 20th anniversary of the Keys Weekly, which initially launched in Marathon and later expanded to include the Key West Weekly and the Upper Keys Weekly. With offices, editors and sales associates in each region of the Florida Keys, the Weekly lives by its motto, “Local Matters.”
Never bought, never sold, always free
It’s pricey enough to live in paradise, so the Keys Weekly proudly offers all of its content — both print and digital — for free. No paywalls, no passwords and no login required to read the news that matters. In 2023, our daily e-newsletter boasted more than 24,000 active subscribers who receive a digest of Florida Keys news in their inbox every afternoon — again, for free.
Gwen Filosa joins team as digital editor
Our news team expanded in August, when Gwen Filosa, a well-known Key West journalist and stand-up comic, joined the operation as digital editor, using her social media skills to increase engagement and amplify the stories we tell.
Keys Weekly expands local sports coverage
With the start of the 2023 high school football season, Keys Weekly expanded its local sports coverage and added a 16-page, Sports Wrap pull-out section each week. The section quickly became the go-to resource for high school sports news. It’s written by Tracy McDonald, compiled and edited by Marathon Weekly editor Alex Rickert, designed by Javier Reyes and supplemented with a podcast hosted by Marathon football coach Sean McDonald. The section wouldn’t be possible without our cadre of photographers that includes Grace Andrew, Doug Finger, Barry Gaukel, Mark Hedden and more.
Our People’s Choice Awards go global
Our annual People’s Choice Awards — The Key West Bubbas, Best of Marathon and Best of the Upper Keys — raised more than $100,000 for local charities while honoring the people, places and products that make this place special.
In 2023, the Bubba Awards garnered online nominations and votes from six continents – all except Antarctica. (That’ll be our goal for next year.)
Best of Marathon:
169,125 votes cast
4,845 individual voters from 44 U.S. states and 12 countries
The Bubbas: Key West People’s Choice Awards
513,000 votes cast
30,000+ individual voters from 34 U.S. states and 20 countries
Best of the Upper Keys (just launched in 2022)
121,000+ votes cast by 5,021 individual voters
