Waikiki community paper to cease publication

By Frank Cho
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Waikiki News, a monthly community newspaper that focused on the people who live and work in Hawai'i's visitor and economic hub, is ending its five-year run.

The 30,000-circulation monthly, which started in 1996 as a free weekly by then Publisher Steve Lent, has struggled to attract advertisers over the years. The paper continued to lose money last year despite a record number of visitors to the state.

"To get the resources to make the paper viable was just too expensive we decided," said Lent, who had sold the paper to Network Media in 1999 and stayed on as editor.

Network Media said the paper will still be available at www.waikikinews.com, but likely in a different format and more focused on visitors.

Lent said he started The Waikiki News after he learned that visitor spending was influenced by referrals from people who lived and worked in Waikiki.

Lent said early research indicated that major advertisers would be interested in the paper.

"However, with the economic conditions over the last five years, the struggle to maintain advertising revenues has increased," Lent said.

Lent said he will stay on with the online edition. The paper's only other full-time employee, a salesperson, will likely be offered a job in Network Media's other operations.

Network Media publishes hotel magazines and books for Sheraton, Hilton and Outrigger hotels among others.

Frank Cho can be reached at 525-8088, or by e-mail at fcho@honoluluadvertiser.com.