About RT

Purpose

The Rockaway Times is a media company that celebrates, informs and inspires the people of Rockaway Beach, New York. Our purpose is to help the people and businesses of our community to thrive. By telling stories from the perspectives of residents and visitors, we deliver a unique Rockaway voice.

Through The Rockaway Times' community-based and independent newspaper, this website, our YouTube channel, our widely followed social media pages, our company provides a suite of services to people who live in and love Rockaway. They include local homeowners and renters, business owners, beachgoers, surfers and naturalists.

The newspaper is published every Thursday and distributed for free throughout the peninsula. This website provides all of the published newspaper content since 2014 as well as extended coverage and video of local events.

History

The Rockaway Times newspaper was founded in June 2014 by local entrepreneur Kevin Boyle. At the end of 2022, Boyle retired and passed the baton of Publisher to locals Sean McVeigh and Jeanne Ferriola. In 2026, lifelong Rockaway resident Margaret Powers and Paul King became the publishers.

The Rockaway Times has won awards from the New York Press Association almost every year of its existence. In fact, at their 2026 conference, our Editor, Katie McFadden won first place awards in three different categories of the Better Newspaper Contest.