By the beginning of 2022, it seemed that the whole world was already emerging from a prolonged crisis. The mood was festive. Covid restrictions were weakened, and we began to prepare big events - conferences, festivals. But our business was already different. If before the Pandemia “Bulletin of Cyprus” spent up to 30 events a year, now I had to choose only the most important thing - the resources were limited, the team was reduced to a minimum, and there was no way to expand.
The newspaper has also changed. Since 2020, we could not afford to order author’s materials - budgets for fees simply disappeared, the entire department was reduced, which organized large events. Only those who were impossible to maintain the daily work of the site remained in the state. Each of ten people worked for two. And at the beginning of 2022, we were facing the question: whether to return to the previous scale, to gain 20 employees, organize again all 25-30 annual projects, or “live on the means”-do only what is realized by this composition of the team. In the meantime, we continued to hold online seminars.
The world has split into parts
While we were discussing the concept, it happened that it was impossible to prepare for. The geopolitical events of the beginning of the year shocked everyone. We understood: in the conditions of the split world, our role is to be a place of unity. We deliberately removed the international agenda from the newspaper and focused on Cyprus, on what unites us. During this period, as in any crisis, the main thing was to support people. We searched for topics that are relevant for all residents of Cyprus, were not involved in the discussion, selected words that could become a support.
Quarterly digest
"Bulletin of Cyprus" continued to go out every day online. The paper version - albeit with difficulty - kept afloat. But by the middle of the year it became clear: advertising income is not enough even to pay for the site’s work, and paper issues are expensive and do not pay themselves at all. I did not want to abandon them at all. We decided to reduce the number of numbers to four per year and make the newspaper a quarterly digest. This decision, dictated by the reality of world digitalization, was also the opportunity to three times to reduce the cost of printing and pre -printed preparation of the newspaper print output.
Daily news
By that time, more than half of Cyprus newspapers had already stopped paper production, as people needed to receive news immediately, quickly. The news became short-lived, the press ceased to double-check the information, it was easier to create a new overthrow news than to waste time checking the facts. The online feed speed decided everything. Well, we read all the Cypriot news, chose 10-15 topics per day, decided what and under what angle we write, double-check the facts. Therefore, they published later, but readers trusted us! A fundamental decision was made - our path is different, we will not rush, we must first understand the issue, then publish.
At the same time, we continued to produce a paper number - albeit less often - to stay physically next to readers. This issue has become a concentrate: out of a thousand articles published in three months, we selected 50-60 of the most important and “unburied” materials that remained relevant even after a while.
Conferences and personal meetings
The newspaper came to life: advertising returned, events began to be planned. We began to gradually close the accumulated debts, and each such payment was felt as a personal victory.
We have experienced another difficult year. They retained the newspaper for the Russian -speaking community of Cyprus. They continued to write, publish, publish - every day. They accepted as a fact that in the changed world we must re -look for our place. And every day began with one question: what can we do today to be useful to our readers?
The newspaper has a new director - I transferred the management of existing projects, and I concentrated on the work of the business club and private consultation. So we could earn enough for the newspaper to continue to be released regularly.
Natalia Kardash
This article is part of a series of articles about the history of the "Herald of Cyprus" dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the newspaper. Другие материалы читайте по тегу #История Вестника Кипра и по ссылкам:
How in 30 years the "Bulletin of Cyprus" has influenced the life of Russian -speaking people
1995. Advertising booklet, which accidentally became the beginning of a new era
1996. The newspaper comes to life: the first headings, the first letters of readers
1997. They came here, "to talk in Russian"
1998. "Bulletin of Cyprus" - almost "Literary Gazeta"
1999. "Bulletin of Cyprus" united lovers of books and films
2000. Library "Vestnik Cyprus" and the first KVN
2001. Change of team: a new stage in the history of the newspaper
2002. Seven employees and a thousand guests
2003. Sturrent period: magazines, courses, reference books
2004. The largest regional media holding
2005. The anniversary year and the emergence of multinational holidays
2006. The editors received up to 500 visitors per week
2007. Uniting adults and children, newspaper employees established the Association
2008. Good traditions "Bulletin of Cyprus"
2009. How we went on the air: the story of "Televials" in Cyprus
2010. Invisible work, visible result
2011. Chess, business journal and economic diplomacy: year of great ambitions
2012. Studs, nesting dolls and helicopter: unforgettable year
2013. Lost almost all advertisers. But they did not give up!
2014: year of new formats and historical achievements
2015. 20 years with the reader: intuition and quick changes in the leg with the times
2016: "Bulletin of Cyprus" turned into a daily edition
2017. Now the events "contain" the newspaper
2018: News - daily on the site, paper newspaper - monthly
2019. When the world was still the same and predictable
2020. Everything is gone! And again, VK rebuilt to survive the crisis
2021. New format of life and work, record attendance of the site
