The ''Longboat Observer'' is an American

free newspaper Free newspapers are distributed free of charge, often in central places in cities and towns, on public transport, with other newspapers, or separately door-to-door. The revenues of such newspapers are based on advertising. They are published at ...

published by

Observer Media Group Observer Media Group, Inc. is a media company that publishes local newspapers and magazines in the U.S. state of Florida. The company publishes twelve newspapers, three quarterly magazines and maintains six news websites. History Observer Medi ...

. It is distributed primarily in

Longboat Key, Florida Longboat Key is a town in Manatee and Sarasota counties along the central west coast of the U.S. state of Florida, located on and coterminous with the barrier island of the same name. Longboat Key is south of Anna Maria Island, between Sarasota Ba ...

as well as other parts of the Sarasota-Bradenton area. It was founded and first published by Ralph and Claire Hunter in 1978.

History

The ''Longboat Observer'' was founded in 1978 by Claire and Ralph Hunter. The first issue was published July 28, 1978 in seven copies and had only four pages. The 1980s saw the paper grow in step with a real estate boom in the area and the Hunters added staff.} In 1995, Matt and Lisa Walsh, with the assistance of a small group of investors including Lisa's parents, bought ''Longboat Observer'' to form the private company which became

(OMG). OMG is headquartered in

Sarasota Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County, Florida, Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The c ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...

, and ''Longboat Observer'' is now part of a family of twelve community and business publications in Florida, some of which were founded by the Walshes and OMG, others were established papers which were acquired by OMG. Most of them utilize the corporate brand of "Observer" in the title which came from ''Longboat Observer''. In 2016, Emily Walsh was named publisher for the ''Longboat Observer'' and sister-papers '' East County Observer'', ''

Siesta Key Observer The ''Siesta Key Observer'' (previously known as the ''Pelican Press'') is an American weekly free newspaper serving Siesta Key, Florida. Founded in 1971 by John and Elizabeth Davidson, it is now a part of a family of twelve community and busines ...

'', and ''

Sarasota Observer The ''Sarasota Observer'' is one of twelve community and business publications published by The Observer Group, which was formed in 1995, and whose headquarters are located in Sarasota, Florida. Established in 2004 to serve downtown Sarasota, the ...

''. As of 2019, the ''Longboat Observer'' has a circulation of 13,373 and is distributed weekly on Thursdays. The

Longboat Key Historical Museum A longboat is a type of ship's boat that was in use from ''circa'' 1500 or before. Though the Royal Navy replaced longboats with launches from 1780, examples can be found in merchant ships after that date. The longboat was usually the largest boa ...

maintains a collection of printed and bound copies of ''Longboat Observer'' going back to 1978.

References

External links

* Newspapers published in Florida Newspapers established in 1978 Sarasota County, Florida 1978 establishments in Florida Weekly newspapers published in the United States {{Florida-newspaper-stub