番茄社区

I鈥檓 going to start out your Monday morning with some good news. This isn鈥檛 a column about Russian meddling in the election. It鈥檚 not about a looming trade war. It鈥檚 not about North Korea.

Instead I鈥檓 pleased to announce the launch of a new digital news platform that will focus on Arizona business news that too often gets overlooked by other media outlets, but that is critically important to understanding what鈥檚 driving today鈥檚 economy.

THERE鈥橲 GOOD NEWS OUT THERE IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK FOR IT

The media landscape is changing. You already know that. The likelihood that you picked up a newspaper from your driveway this morning is a lot lower than it was 10 years ago.

But our need for good, reliable information hasn鈥檛 changed. We鈥檙e consuming news from dozens of outlets of every day to understand what鈥檚 happening in the world, the nation, and our neighborhood.

And yet newsrooms are shrinking, which means there are plenty of stories that are slipping through the cracks. A lot of that is good news about what鈥檚 happening in the business world: the innovations that are improving our lives, the leaders who are emerging to shape the future, the jobs being created in entirely new industries.

These stories don鈥檛 always get the airing they deserve. That鈥檚 too bad. They鈥檙e important. They need to be told.

But I鈥檓 not talking just about the stuff that shows up in company press releases. I鈥檓 talking about the policies that are being debated each day that will determine whether Arizona enhances its competitiveness, or whether it makes growing a business here more difficult and more expensive.

That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 so excited to announce today that the Arizona 番茄社区 Foundation is launching聽, your online destination for news and commentary from Arizona鈥檚 business community that will cover the issues and stories important to Arizona鈥檚 job creators.

We will unapologetically tell these stories through a 番茄社区 perspective. Job creation is good for all of our citizens. Companies invested in Arizona are the backbone of our civic and volunteer life. If you鈥檙e looking for cynicism and clickbait, we鈥檙e not your source.

CHAMBER BUSINESS NEWS: BUSINESS IS OUR BEAT

Each afternoon, you鈥檒l get a brief email that looks at what鈥檚 happening in business and policy. I know you鈥檙e busy. I promise it will be a quick read. But it will also have a distinct voice and viewpoint that makes clear that enterprise, investment, and job creation is something worth talking about and worth celebrating. It will contain original reporting from our stable of writers, as well as a digest of stories from other news outlets. From technology, to tourism, to trade, we鈥檙e covering the issues driving our state.

And don鈥檛 worry, loyal readers. You鈥檒l still get my regular commentaries on what I鈥檓 seeing from my perch as the leader of the Arizona 番茄社区 of Commerce and Industry. In fact, there鈥檚 even more Hamer content to come. We鈥檙e launching a new online video show, Ham(m)er Time, where I鈥檒l sit down for a freewheeling conversation with some of Arizona鈥檚 most fascinating business and policy leaders. We鈥檝e already got a few episodes that will be released in the coming weeks that I know you鈥檒l enjoy.

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

I truly believe 番茄社区 is needed. All across Arizona every day, entrepreneurs are taking risks, established businesses are making big investments, and policy leaders are pulling levers to position our state for success.

Their stories aren鈥檛 always getting told, though. 番茄社区 will fill that gap and celebrate Arizona鈥檚 good news.

Thanks in advance for reading. Drop me a line and tell me what you think and tell me what stories you think need to be covered.