It was 15 years ago this month that the Osprey Observer was delivered to the first homes in FishHawk Ranch. The concept was simple, publish positive, local, community news and deliver it directly to the communities that it covers.
The very first month, the Osprey Observer Newspaper was hand-delivered to 750 homes in FishHawk Ranch. The second month, the newspaper was hand-delivered by children and inserted into the Brandon-Valrico Journal. By month 3, the Osprey Observer was printed at M&M Printing in Ruskin and direct-mailed by the United States Postal Service.
Within 6 months, the newspaper was delivered into 10,000 local homes and was printed by a large commercial printer in Clearwater where we continue to print today, Web Offset.
Happy New Year From
The Gilmore Boys!
During the early years, I used to pack my then youngest son into the family mini-van and drive to Clearwater– to not only deliver the CD that the newspaper was burned on–but to then pick up the newspapers and deliver them, bundle by bundle to the bulk mail delivery area of each of the local post offices.
By the time the first year had passed, we realized it would make more sense to pay the printer’s mailing house, Direct Web to bundle and deliver the papers to the post office.
Within 3 years, we started the Riverview edition and quickly added Apollo Beach while realizing the future growth potential for S.E. Hillsborough County and then added the Valrico edition and finally the Brandon edition.
In 2009, the Osprey Observer purchased the, now 20-year-old local Christian Voice newspaper and have expanded its reach and distribution throughout the community.
In addition to the monthly newspapers, we engage with our readers via our website, social media, eBlast newsletter and with our offices centrally located in Brandon.
We have always wanted to be the voice of good news in the community and we are happy to share community success stories.
The Osprey Observer is one hundred percent supported by local advertisers and small businesses. In addition to being a community hub of information, the Osprey Observer has an incredible team of staff–many of which have been with the newspaper for years and have become familiar faces in the community.
We also have to thank our readers who not only read about their community but also get involved in making a difference.
We thank you for reading and look forward to publishing community news for many more years to come! To contact our offices, call 657-2418 or email me directly at editor@ospreyobserver.com.
Wishing you all the best!
Marie Gilmore,
Managing Editor
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