Chelsea Community News reads Scott Stifler statement on hyperlocal survival

I'm Charlie Battersby, a reporter with LGBTQCommunityNews.nyc and with Chelsea Community News.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

And I'm here to read words written by our editor-in-chief, Scott Stifler.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

Scott has two statements he'd like me to read for him.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

First is, good morning.

These are Scott's words.

Good morning, members and supporters of local and ethnic media.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

I'm thankful for this occasion to collectively improve upon 2001's Local Law 83 and the Mayor's Office of Ethnic and Community Media, which was created to bring that law into real-world practice.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

I hope that the council and mayor's office will do all they can to ensure that office is empowered with the authority and resources to achieve its mandate.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

The success of MOECM will determine the effectiveness and the very existence of hyperlocal publications throughout New York City.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

I'm not invoking that mass extinction scenario out of smarm or exaggeration.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

To be a publisher of ethnic or community media is to constantly pull back from the brink of financial ruin.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

But what is the point of existing if one cannot constantly publish hyperlocal news our readers turn to us for?

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

Or, as our editor Scott Stifler says, we are only as prolific as our editorial budget allows.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

And Scott has another statement.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

What publishers need is income to not only keep the lights on, but to ensure a steady, consistent stream of new content.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

The income derived from the city campaigns was at first an important contributor to the bottom line, but now advertising agencies alone determine what media will carry a city department's message.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

Ethnic and community media cannot match the metrics of a CBS.com.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

Many publishers, including myself, have gone all of 2026 with no calls of inquiry, let alone contractual work.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

Please empower MOECM to have sign-off power over these campaigns and to insert our style of media when appropriate.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

The LGBTQ community news.nyc site, for example, should be part of every agency's HIV prevention testing or awareness campaign.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

And also, please consider ways to distribute Local Law 83's funds that are not beholden to performance.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

Why not, and this is Scott's words, why not just throw money at us?

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.

Make it specific for rent or office supplies and let every member of the directory get an equal portion.

WBI has a paid SAG after staff of five master control engineers, one news director, a program director, several interns, and dozens of other outlets.