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                                  EXHIBIT 31.1
                                  CERTIFICATION

I, James A. Finkelstein, certify that:

        1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-KSB of News
        Communications, Inc.;

        2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue
        statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
        to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which
        such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
        covered by this annual report;

        3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
        information included in this annual report, fairly present in all
        material respects the financial condition, results of operations and
        cash flows of the small business issuer as of, and for, the periods
        presented in this report;

        4. The small business issuer's other certifying officer and I are
        responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and
        procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) for
        the small business issuer and have:

          (a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
          disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
          supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the small
          business issuer, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made
          known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the
          period in which this report is being prepared;

          (b) [Omitted pursuant to SEC Release Nos. 33-8238 and 34-47986]

          (c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the small business issuer's
          disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our
          conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
          procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based
          on such evaluation; and

          (d) Disclosed in this report any change in the small business issuer's
          internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the
          small business issuer's most recent fiscal quarter that has materially
          affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the small
          business issuer's internal control over financial reporting.

        5. The small business issuer's other certifying officer and I have
        disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over
        financial reporting, to the small business issuer's auditors and the
        audit committee of the small business issuer's board of directors (or
        persons performing the equivalent functions):

          (a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
          or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
          reasonably likely to adversely affect the small business issuer's
          ability to record, process, summarize and report financial
          information; and

          (b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
          other employees who have a significant role in the small business
          issuer's internal control over financial reporting.

          Date: April 13, 2004



/s/ James A. Finkelstein
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James A. Finkelstein
President and Chief Executive Officer