To our readers: A message from the publisher

Our return to profitability is significant, given the severity of the recent recession. The AJC regained solid footing in large part because you stuck by us during difficult times. We’re grateful for that support, which we don’t take for granted. Serving readers and advertisers is why we’re here, and we’ll keep your needs top of mind as always in 2011.

Our commitment

Returning the AJC to stability ensures that we’ll remain able to do the work that only a robust and free press can do. We take this charge as seriously as ever, and we’re mindful of the words of Cox Enterprises founder James M. Cox that are quoted on our Editorial page: “Ask yourself one question, ‘Is it right?’ Then do what you believe is best for your town, your state and your country.”

I believe that the AJC’s journalists — who constitute the largest news-gathering staff in the Atlanta region — have produced work in 2010 that measures up to Cox’s expectations. That will continue under new AJC Editor Kevin Riley. Ralph McGill, the editor and publisher of The Atlanta Constitution, once said, “Newspapers have got to come down and be close to the people — not merely interested in informing them and in interpreting for them, but interested in their health, their housing, their living conditions, their children, and their whole panorama of interests.” Our recent signature work has done just that.

Today, the AJC concludes an eight-part series on how the region’s tax appraisers are struggling to match falling home prices with property tax valuations. This exclusive work is based on a quantitative analysis by the AJC’s investigative reporters.

Our reporters were the first to draw attention to questionable rises in CRCT test scores at some Atlanta public schools. These stories led to an ongoing investigation by the state and the referral of 108 educators to a state professional standards commission. The accuracy of the AJC’s analysis was confirmed in a report commissioned by the school district.

We’ve done similar work on other topics, including an examination of land-purchase decisions by Gwinnett County. The AJC’s stories resulted in a grand jury investigation and the resignation of the Gwinnett County Commission chairman.

You may have noticed that our journalists are working more often alongside counterparts from other Cox Media Group outlets, such as Channel 2 Action News and AM 750 and now 95.5FM News/Talk WSB. The intent is to produce the strongest, most-comprehensive news report possible.

Our product

At the AJC, we understand the importance of meeting our customers’ needs and offering real value in exchange for your support. You’ve shared with us the issues that are important to you. Our improved financial picture is allowing us to again expand content offerings that are targeted toward what you’ve told us really matters in your lives.

As I mentioned earlier, our focus on watchdog reporting remains an important bedrock function of the AJC. We’ve also made significant improvements in other content.

Last summer, we added extra space for national and international news in the A section. In November, we started “County by county,” a package of metro news. We also introduced “Deal Spotter,” offering money-saving tips.

The AJC is among the first local newspapers in the country to offer our journalism on an iPad.

The AJC is committed to publishing content across multiple platforms and the new iPad app is an important part of fulfilling this promise. It’s unlike any digital product we’ve ever offered. The new app enables the content interactivity that many of us have grown accustomed to. It does so while retaining the sensibility and traditional local reporting of a newspaper. You can visit ajc.com/ipad to view a video demonstration and download the app.

Expect from us a continued commitment to innovation through print and digital products that deliver the best local news and information for our community.

I invite you to share your feedback with us and join the AJC’s Facebook iPad group. You can take part in the conversation by going to the ajc.com Facebook page and clicking on the iPad tab at the top. You may also share your feedback via e-mail at customercare@ajc.com

Our community

We’re pleased to be the leading provider of news, information and advertising in metro Atlanta. That means that we reach a combined print and online audience of 2 million people each week. Nearly 2.3 million unique visitors come to the newspaper’s websites each month. With that size and success comes a responsibility to the community we serve. It’s right and just that we give back to the region we call home. AJC employees enthusiastically contribute to the United Way and other organizations by offering both financial resources and time they devote to charitable groups.

The AJC’s parent company Cox Enterprises’ donation in November of the newspaper’s former downtown offices to the city of Atlanta exemplifies our long-standing — and continuing — commitment to supporting the city. Cox’s gift of the nine-story office building and four-story printing plant is valued at approximately $50 million.

The AJC’s also maintained its focus on the city of Atlanta this year by stationing reporters at Channel 2 Action News’ offices in Midtown. That’s in addition to our existing news office near the Gold Dome.

Even as we remain vitally engaged with the city, we’ve enhanced our news reporting outside of the Perimeter. Our new offices in Dunwoody give our business added efficiency and flexibility that lets us devote more resources toward our content and sales operations.

We realize the importance of providing news and information each day to this great metropolitan area. It’s our privilege to do so. We are grateful for your continuing support.