Florida’s oldest independent weekly newspaper could cease to exist before the summer is over.
Yesterday, publishers of The Gabber Newspaper told readers that, “If we don’t hit our fundraising goal by July 1, the paper is done.”
The publication, founded in 1968 as the “Gulfport Gabber,” has served South Pinellas for nearly six decades, putting out a physical newspaper and running a website—all for free to readers. Over the last week alone, the paper has covered a South Pasadena commissioner meeting and a Gulfport town hall about rezoning related to Stetson Law School.
That commitment to non-paywalled news is why the Gabber is also part of the Tampa Bay Journalism Project, a nascent, CL-driven project that hopes to unlock more journalism and information for all residents, not just those who can afford it.
Publisher Cathy Salustri, a former Creative Loafing Tampa Bay staffer who purchased the Gabber in 2020 in the wake of the coronavirus fallout, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that she and her husband have consistently put between $70,000-$90,000 annually, all without taking any profit or paycheck.
“We simply can’t keep doing it,” Salustri added. …“we aren’t wealthy and can’t keep supporting it on our own.”
Today, the Gabber faces a $90,000 budget shortfall and finds itself strapped with $70,000 in lawyers fees after being sued by a Gulfport resident who lost his primary bid to represent Florida’s 13th Congressional District.
“The court found in our favor and granted our anti-SLAPP but we have yet to see a dime from him and indicates he’s appealing,” Salustri said, “so we had to pay the lawyer so his firm would keep defending us.”
That’s why The Gabber Newspaper needs $160,000 to keep doors open.
In a message to readers, Salustri said that the Gabber isn’t interested in charging much more for advertising and that the paper can reach its goal if 8% of its readers commit to $22 a month.
“I believe that small cities – the citizens and businesses – especially need hyperlocal journalism. I want there to always be a Gabber,” Salustri said, adding that a subscription donation model may be needed to keep publishing the paper.
“We won’t paywall the news – news should be free so everyone has the same information, regardless of income,” she added, “But if those who can donate do so in small, recurring amounts, it would assure the paper’s future in the community.”
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This article appears in May 14 – 20, 2026.