Biloxi council debates cutting B‑News print run as Creel urges monthly mailing

Councilmember Creel told the council on March 3 that cutting the mailed B‑News newsletter from monthly to quarterly risks losing advertising revenue and could still leave the city with mandated mailing costs.

“Keep in mind, there’s advertising that comes along with that that these guys have sold that gets a 100,000 credits,” Creel said, noting that the council had budgeted $290,000 for the newsletter. He estimated mandated mailings and postage could still cost the city substantially and urged retaining monthly print distribution or extending the decision through the rest of the fiscal year to allow staff to pursue additional advertising revenue.

Cecilia, a city communications staff member, said shifting to quarterly print will pose a challenge for advertisers and that the office is trying to offer added digital benefits to retain them: “We’ve been trying to work with the advertisers to offer a little bit more . . . But there’s only so much we can do with having digital and online,” she said, adding the city has already lost one advertiser during the transition talks but is negotiating with others.

Council members asked whether a monthly digital edition would continue; staff confirmed a digital monthly edition will remain available while print moves to quarterly distribution. Several council members said they supported the historical value and broad reach of the monthly mailed edition and asked staff to explore ways to preserve the monthly distribution or offset lost revenue through advertising.

The council did not take a separate vote on the newsletter at the meeting; the discussion was part of the mayor’s report and council communications.