They say you need a little bit of insanity to do great things.
You may have followed recent news about accelerating layoffs in both the print and TV news business. Just in the past few weeks, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, Time Magazine, and National Geographic all announced significant layoffs. Making it more troubling, both the L.A. Times and Washington Post are owned by billionaires (who arguably did not have to do it for financial reasons). Facebook (now Meta) has also announced that it would be pulling back on its news coverage, and other social media platforms are doing the same.
Mary Louise Kelly, who hosts National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” recently wrote: “If you care about journalism — local news, national news, international news — every warning light should be blinking red.”
Those are not exactly words and developments that help us sleep well at night as we continue to invest significantly in Mexico News Daily.
But we knew about these industry trends when we purchased the company, and also that this would not be easy. What makes us think that we will be successful when so many others are failing?
To begin with, we feel that the “failure” of many news organizations is to a large extent their own fault for three important reasons:
Many media outlets got away from impartially covering the news and began to inject their own opinions into their news coverage
We have all seen this happening. Many media outlets now feel like a mouthpiece of either the right or the left. Most people find that to be tiring, frustrating, and often insulting to their intelligence. News seems to have been replaced with opinions. We at Mexico News Daily take very seriously the importance of impartiality, and the importance of analysis to help you connect the dots on the issues. We will bring you the facts of the news as best as we can, via an array of sources. We will have respected writers from Mexico and other countries share their analysis and opinions on important issues. And then we will leave it up to you, the reader, to form your own conclusions on the issues.
Many digital news organizations became too focused on “chasing clicks”
A profit-generating business is naturally always looking for ways to maximize revenue. Unfortunately for the digital media industry, that has far too often meant a hyper focus on “chasing clicks.”
Clicks that bring more eyeballs, eyeballs that bring more ad revenue, etc. The problem is that this strategy logically leads to news coverage becoming ever-increasingly sensationalized and shallow. Violence, car accidents, weather events, death, death, and more death…as the industry saying goes “if it bleeds, it leads.”
We at Mexico News Daily are trying very hard to not fall into this trap. The temptation to “go there” happens every day, but we will do everything we can to continue to bring you balanced, relevant, and important news that impacts Mexico — not just the stories that will give you a quick dopamine hit. We are striving to educate and inform the reader, not just provide sensationalist stories.
Ads, ads, and more ads
Many news publications have become too reliant on ads that have diminished the user experience. Along with the strategy of sensationalist stories, many news publications have filled their sites with “pop-up” and “crawler ads” that must be navigated through in order to be able to read the article. Although this generates ad revenue, we think it makes for a terrible reader experience. We at MND have cut back significantly on the amount and type of ads, despite the loss in revenue, to make for a better reader experience.
Which brings us back to the original question of “are we crazy?”
My wife Tamanna and I strongly believe Mexico’s importance in the world is becoming increasingly more apparent. We believe that it is a historically important time for Mexico and its relationship with the United States and the world. We believe that Mexico has an economic opportunity to seize that could dramatically reduce poverty and improve living standards nationwide. And we believe that there is a need for an English-language news outlet like Mexico News Daily to provide balanced and unbiased news and information about the country.
These beliefs lead us to think that operating MND is important work that will help our readers learn about and better understand Mexico.
If you want a front row seat to the changes Mexico is undergoing, Mexico News Daily is the platform.
We are very much aware that it will not be an easy task. This vision and business model requires our paid subscriber model to be successful.
Despite a doubling of our total unique viewers to over 1 million per month over the past year, we still have a very low percentage of our readers becoming paid subscribers.
As a result, MND continues to lose money each month.
Although we might be a little bit crazy, we truly believe that we can bring trust and optimism back to the world of journalism — at least for Mexico — at a time when so much trust has been lost. We sincerely believe that by doing that, we will be successful. But we need your support!
We are honored to bring you news, information, analysis, and opinions about this great country. We are working hard to get better each and every day. If you are a paid subscriber, we thank you!
And if you are not yet a paid subscriber, why not become one today? Click here to subscribe.
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for over 27 years.
Travis. Appreciate your efforts.
A couple things come to mind.
1. Make your money in the US and kick back in Mexico. I wouldn’t invest a penny in anything Mexico related. For example those of us familiar with the mining sector would never buy a company with Mexico projects. Too much uncertainty with cartel and government.
2. After 50 why start a venture like this at all? The reason you come to Mexico at 55 or so is buy a house, ride motorcycles, paint, pottery, play your guitar or whatever else it is you like. If you want to work stay in the US and make real money.
At 45 your 10yr plan begins. With the money you make in the US between 45-55 you are set for life not to work in Mexico.
Best to you.
I bet I could guess your political affiliation in a heartbeat….
Hi. Very strong Democrat from California.
I somewhat agree, most people I know in Mexico , made their money in the US and go to Mexico live in Retirement or a long vacation. In my last trip, I did meet many Mexicans who had lived in the US, come back , buy a house or farmland. As far as starting a business in Mexico, I agree with Travis.
Great question on #2. We did think about it a lot before buying MND. I think the short answer is, TO BE USEFUL, to pay forward. We only have one life to live, we don’t take anything with us!
Thank you so much. As a former longtime newspaper reporter, I very much appreciate what you are doing. And your husband is correct about clickbait. I’m looking at you, Washington Post….
Someone asked me once what I miss about the U.S. – assuming I missed anything – but one thing I do miss is having an actual newspaper at my front door every day. But I totally understand those days are mostly gone, and I am more than happy to pay to read the MDN content, and I know a number of my friends are as well.
Best of luck. I’ve read some great content in recent months and you keep adding more all the time. Thank you!
Thank you for that feedback!
I totally agree with you Tamanna! My husband and I each have our own subscription in the same house in Mazatlan (we think it’s worth the cost). We moved here 16 years ago and besides having a home in Centro, we bought a couple of farms and are happy to employ the local people. Our son and his family moved here in 2019. He and I started a business, home furnishings and interior design, my granddaughters are fluent in Spanish already and flourish in this Culture. I am more than grateful to enjoy my life in Mexico at 71, and hopefully make a difference in some way.
We appreciate you!
Tamanna, good morning from beautiful Tequila, Jalisco. I love your response, “to be useful.” My Mom still teaches painting at 80. I admire people that have gifts to share past 60, 70, 80 or even 90. Not everyone is made for 50 and out. Best to you.
Great article. As always, you and Tamanna write from the heart. I couldn’t disagree with more with the above comment. I believe it overlooks your love for the country and it’s people. One can rightfully say ok, but business is business. Yet in that regard you couldn’t have a better product at a more opportune time. People are pouring in this country amplifying the need for a product that informs and inspires, and truthfully reports the news. .I’ve also learned when competitors opt out, it’s time to spend more than ever on great product and capture market share. As a CEO, I found opportunity when others rolled over or bailed . At 71, I love to work. I’ve never been as fortunate as my many friends who find true love chasing a golf ball day after day. But in the end you deserve to be rewarded financially. To me, not subscribing is, well, not right. It’s akin to haggling with the street people to save a buck. Those
Less fortunate than me just might better their lives for the small difference than that would make in mine.
Thank you for your comments Randy!
Being an annual subscriber is so easy and inexpensive. $49 / yr with an automatic renewal and it can be shared to my wife. Thank you for your courage and the journalistic results you have achieved so far. I also appreciate the many intentional changes and enhancements
Appreciate that comment Bradford!
How about some coverage of sports in Mexico? The nation excels in everything from boxing to motor racing, baseball and of course football (soccer for some). For sports fans it would be great to get some updates on how Mexicans are performing on the various world stages as well as decent coverage of the national football competition, which is actually pretty competitive and highly interesting. Bravo to all at Mexico News Daily …
Yes! And there are some unique angles on the sports front! For example, two fabulous Mexican American NCAA collegiate wrestling champions, Roman Bravo Young (Penn State national champ) and Austin Gomez ( on track to be a national champ for Michigan this year) just won the Pan American Games gold medals for Mexico and will be very competitive for gold at the Olympics representing Mexico! Thanks for the pitch for subscribers- I will subscribe today. I do hope the Mexico City News does not become editorially critical of AMLO and Claudia in a knee jerk way and instead tries to strike a more balanced view grounded in an accurate understanding of Mexico’s history and a healthy skepticism of US corporate neoliberal economic interests. I really do hope you succeed with this news venture!
Thank you Peter!
Thanks TJ…we are making an effort to cover more and more sports in Mexico…stay tuned!
I worked for the Mexico City Times in DF in the 60’s. CDMX was a completely different place than it is today, it was a remarkable city then as it is now, though it is so different as to be unrecognizable. I have also now been living in Baja Calif on and off for the last 6 years. It too has changed from the place I first visited in the 80’s. It’s hard to say where the country is going. It has SO many positive things happening and at the same time it seems to be unraveling. I try not to get too involved (as an estranjero) in the poiitics, but wow. I just wish the elites would finally say ‘enough’ when it comes to the money from questionable sources. Before the arrival of guns and drugs the country was a different place. Mexico gives the USA drugs and immigrants (mostly from other countries) and the USA sends the cartels guns and money. How you can have a country based on law and not impunity of power is the question. Mexico has to make a decision. Will one of the ladies running for Prez have the cojones that the previous men did not?
Thank you Tamanna and Travis for giving to the Americans and foreigners living in Mexico, the chance to receive the news and opportunities that Mexico offers, specially under financial pressure.
I wish you can soon be financially succesfull.
Xavier
Thank you Xavier!
I am disappointed with the reduced political coverage in MND. You went from coverage of AMLO’s daily press conferences to weekly summaries and now, nothing.
Here is where one learns where Mexico is going. Maybe readers are interested in recipes, cooking, decorating and house hunting but those of us living here are also and possibly more interested in the economic and financial events that shape the Mexico we call home.
Good luck as you continue MND.
The fluff is fine but please give us the information we need to understand the country where we live.j
I agree with you on this, the periodical has pivoted to fluff.
I assume the point is to crank out evergreen subjects that are going to generate clicks from SEO (old news stories aren’t going to generate such clicks). But since the site doesn’t have ads, SEO doesn’t generate direct revenue.
I guess there’s also the benefit that general topics of interest of can be re-treaded every year or two. (News, not so much.)
I also agree that the fluff is perfectly fine, it just needs to be ONE element of the newspaper, but not the main element. I won’t renew when my subscription comes up, because I had paid for daily news (it’s even in the name!) and now I’m not getting that.
I also wanted to support journalism with my sub. I likewise subscribe to a paper back in the states for a city I haven’t lived in for 20+ years for the same reason.
But I’m not doing it solely for charity, obviously, I actually do want the news with my sub.
Yes, less fluff…more news.
Thank you for your feedback. We put significant resources into news content and will continue to do so more than ever!
I completely agree with you, Peter. I want to know what’s going on in Mexico, politically and otherwise.
You’re right ✅️
Thanks for your feedback Peter. We have replaced the weekly AMLO mananera article with more regular political articles (we have one almost daily) and also given the fact that the manaera will be ending soon with his presidency. We at MND will continue to invest in hard business and political news stories as well as feature content that is of much interest to many of our readers in Culture, Food, Real Estate, Mexico Living, etc, etc.
Thank you both for sustaining MND and continuing to invest in it. I’ve enjoyed being a subscriber (it’s actually the only news site I pay for), in part because it’s so hard to find an English-language paper that reports news about Mexico objectively. NYT, WaPo, etc., seem take a reflexively anti-AMLO/Morena stance on every issue, and with such an obvious bias, it becomes hard to tell what’s actually going on in the country. Very much appreciate MND’s fairness and the variety of perspectives; I wish you much success!
Thank you Nick…appreciate that!
Congratulations on your efforts. They are certainly paying off in terms of quality.
In the late 90s/early ‘00s I had the most-visited website for expatriates in Mexico, SolutionsAbroad.com, and before the pandemic Ana Maria Salazar and I hosted the only news broadcast in English on open Mexican TV (on TVAzteca).
I’d be happy to share some experience with respect to the business model that might be applicable to your noble efforts!
I’m a subscriber – feel free to reach out and keep up the amazing work.
I second Peter’s comments above about the loss of AMOL’s news coverage. As a subscriber and dual citizen the daily report was welcomed information, as I struggle with Spanish especially Political. Good Luck with your subscription drive.
Thank you for your commitment to great journalism.
Thank you Suzanne!
I am grateful for your investment in MND and for your commitment to improving journalism. The English-speaking market in Mexico is underserved for high quality content so there is a real business opportunity too. In response to the comment above, I too hope that you can strike a balance between coverage of serious and lighter topics. Expats need to be well-informed about what’s happening in Mexican politics, business and the environment alongside the fluffier lifestyle content.
Appreciate those comments Dawn.
I’m another subscriber for whom the idea of “giving back” really resonates, so thank for doing that…it’s obvious everywhere within MND. But i’d love it if MND were able to give back a little bit (financially) to Tamanna and Travis, so I may start asking every expat I see if they’re subscribers. (And also Mexicans who would like to read English-language news about their country that’s not coming from a position of fear.)
I also really miss the mañaneras coverage…those summaries helped me understand issues at the national level, and made me a more informed resident.
Keep up the great work!
Thank you for this feedback Scott.
I hope we all have the pleasure of being useful here. To that end, this newspaper is helpful.
Perhaps more in-depth thinking about the future? Where is education going? Does the public health system have a sustainable future? What are the priviledged classes (i.e., doctors and lawyers) doing to maintain their advantage? Will there be the political will to address the national water crisis?
There are a lot of very positive trends. In Guanajuato, a high school graduate can work for two years in a vegetable packing plant and make enough money for four years of local university. When was that last possible in the US?
I know it is a lot to ask. But that’s what we need from a great newspaper.
Yes, it would be more feasible to solicit paid essays and (educated) opinions than paying for journalism or investigative journalism. Then we could learn about topics from someone with experience in that field, but that person wouldn’t have to be expected to invest a lot of time in careful research, rather just skip to the analysis.
And when MND repost/translates/summarizes articles from other sources, that news can be useful. I don’t know how much that costs, but I enjoy those, as well. And if I want more info I go read the original(s) in Spanish.
would like more articles related to actual news such as economic, political, news actual Mexicans are interested in than a people magaine travel popular cultural stuff.
Kenna Noone-Kirkpatrick
Keep up the great work!
Thank you John!
I am a subscriber and will continue to be one till my dying day. I appreciate that you don’t inject political opinions. Some other commenters mentioned “fluff”. I enjoy the “fluff” as well. Keep up the good work.
Gracias Judy….I enjoy the “fluff” as well…although we don’t call it that! 🙂