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The Maui News was purchased by the Maui Nui Media and Creativity Collaborative, a locally owned nonprofit organization, on Aug. 1. With this transition, we've received questions from the community about what the change in ownership means for The Maui News.
Over the next few months, we are working on transferring the business and its many vendors to the local level. We are determining where we will buy newsprint and ink, updating technology and systems, and making sure the business is in a healthy place to kick off 2027.
We are already working on improvements to community coverage, including the inaugural Investigative Elections Reporting Fellowship. Applications will be accepted through Sept. 7 for this exciting new opportunity.
In addition, we are organizing a mayoral debate that will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 26 at the University of Hawaii Maui College. More details will be shared in the coming weeks.
The Maui News' mission is to serve the community, and under this new model, we will continue to provide purpose-driven news for Maui residents and visitors.
The Maui News is working to shift to a hyper-local focus, with the goal of becoming a newspaper that is 100% local content. This will not happen overnight, and we will need the support of the community. The Maui News and Maui Nui Media are excited to strengthen community relationships and collaborate with people and organizations across Maui Nui.
A nonprofit newspaper operates like a traditional newspaper in that it gathers news, covers local government, schools, businesses and community events, and publishes important information for readers.
The key difference is that a nonprofit newspaper is organized as a public-service organization rather than a business designed to generate profits. Under the nonprofit model, any revenue the organization earns is reinvested back into the newsroom to support reporting, staffing, technology and community initiatives.
Here are a few key points to remember:
• Mission-driven organization: A nonprofit newspaper exists to serve the public interest and provide important local journalism.
• Reinvestment of revenue: Any money the organization earns is reinvested into newsroom operations, including reporting, staffing, technology and community initiatives.
• Different funding sources: Nonprofit newspapers typically rely on a mix of reader donations, memberships, foundation grants, sponsorships, subscriptions and advertising revenue.
• Focus on community needs: Because the organization is not solely dependent on advertising, it can devote more resources to in-depth reporting and coverage of issues important to local residents.
• Local accountability journalism: Nonprofit newsrooms often emphasize coverage of local government, schools, public policy and other topics that help keep citizens informed and engaged on important community issues.
Board oversight: Most nonprofit newspapers are overseen by a board of directors that helps ensure the organization remains focused on its public-service mission and long-term sustainability.
• Editorial independence: Newsroom leaders and journalists continue to make editorial decisions independently, maintaining traditional journalistic standards and ethics.
Community-supported model: The success of a nonprofit newspaper depends heavily on community support, with readers and local organizations playing a direct role in helping sustain local journalism.
• Growing national trend: An increasing number of newspapers and digital news organizations across the country have adopted nonprofit models as a way to preserve local news coverage.
Little change for readers: Day-to-day coverage will remain much the same, with the primary difference being how the organization is funded and structured.