This fall I realized how unique the PublicSource newsroom truly is.
In October, I spent a week at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, Florida. Alongside 30 reporters from across the country, I participated in an off-the-record exchange of tools and techniques to support new journalists like myself in realizing our potential, navigating our newsrooms and growing into stronger storytellers. From talking to other journalists, I learned how rare and special newsrooms like PublicSource are: where everyone is invested in the development of their journalists — no matter their experience. At the workshop, I met journalists from newsrooms without photographers, reporters with unresponsive editors and controlling tyrant owners.
PublicSource is one of the few nonprofit newsrooms in Pittsburgh. Our “owner” isn’t a far-away media conglomerate with a divisive political agenda. It’s the public. It’s you.
More and more, journalists are feeling disconnected and unsupported by their newsrooms because of pressures of the news cycle and for-profit revenue models. Too many publications value clicks and shares over the actual reporting process, investigating and fact-checking.
At PublicSource, we know that our community of readers holds the truth and detailed reporting in the highest regard, and you deserve reporting that reflects that. Because PublicSource is a nonprofit newsroom, and we rely on generous donations from readers like you, I’m proud to represent PublicSource in asking that you consider supporting us during this giving season. Your contribution makes it possible for us to pursue the truth, and to participate in training experiences that sharpen our skills, reporting and the culture of our newsroom.
Thank you for your commitment. Thank you for sharing PublicSource’s stories, and thank you for your support. We’re looking forward to delivering more reporting and important storytelling to you in the new year.
P.S. If you are interested to learn more about my reporting at PublicSource, you can watch this video created by the Facebook Journalism Project. Also, donations up to $180 are being matched by The Fine Foundation.
