Founded2019
TypeNonprofit
PurposeJournalism
Location
Area served
Pennsylvania
MethodFoundation and member-supported
CEO & President
Christopher Baxter
Board Chairman
David Boardman
Annie McCain Madonia, Kathleen Pavelko, Olivia Benson, George Fernandez, Michael Berry (ex officio)
WebsiteSpotlight PA

Spotlight PA (spotlightpa.org) is an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania.[1] The organization was founded in 2019 by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and a coalition of news organizations in the state, and was built from the ground up by founding editor Christopher Baxter, who has since been promoted to chief executive officer and president.[2][3] Since that time, Spotlight PA has become a leading national model for independent, collaborative journalism that informs and inspires residents to drive positive change.[4] Spotlight PA has won numerous state, regional and national awards for its reporting, including the 2022 Freedom of Information Award from Investigative Reporters & Editors, the 2022 Gerald Loeb Award (local category), the 2022 Best Investigative Journalism Award from the Institute for Nonprofit News, and the 2021 Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award from the Online News Association.[5][6][7]

History

Spotlight PA was founded by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism and officially launched in September 2019 as an independent newsroom operating through The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with founding newsrooms Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and PennLive/The Patriot-News.[3] In 2020, TribLIVE/The Tribune-Review replaced the Post-Gazette among the founding partners.[8] Also that year, Spotlight PA acquired PA Post, a nonprofit newsroom started by WITF Public Media in Harrisburg, which joined the founding members as part of that deal.[9]

In August 2023, Spotlight PA went fully independent from its founding partners, reforming as a Pennsylvania nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and acquiring all of its related assets from the Inquirer.[10] The newly formed company is led by Baxter and a new board of directors, chaired by renowned journalism leader David Boardman.

Mission

The mission of Spotlight PA is to hold powerful private and public forces across Pennsylvania — especially governments, businesses and special interests — to account through urgent and compelling investigative journalism that drives change and strengthens democracy, Pennsylvania, and all who live there.[11]

Funding

Spotlight PA is among a fast-growing field of nonprofit newsrooms across the country being created as an answer to the continued decline of legacy and corporate-owned media.[12] It relies on the support of individuals and institutions who understand the vital importance of its journalism to the future of Pennsylvania. The newsroom is supported by a dedicated group of local and national foundations, media partners, individual major donors (“Leaders in Action”), and thousands of readers from across Pennsylvania (“members”). It discloses the source of every dollar it receives, and does not accept anonymous gifts.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Spotlight PA: Pennsylvania news and investigations". Spotlight PA. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  2. ^ "Editor named to lead Spotlight PA statewide investigative project". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  3. ^ a b "PennLive & The Patriot-News join Spotlight PA as founding partners". Spotlight PA. August 29, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  4. ^ "American Journalism Project invests $1 million in Spotlight PA as model for local news". Spotlight PA. 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  5. ^ "Spotlight PA wins 10 statewide journalism awards, including top honors for its redistricting coverage". Spotlight PA. 2022-05-02. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  6. ^ Management, UCLA Anderson School of (2023-01-27). "Winners of the 2022 Gerald Loeb Awards Announced by UCLA Anderson at New York City Event". UCLA Anderson School of Management. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  7. ^ "Spotlight PA wins two national investigative journalism awards". Spotlight PA. 2021-10-19. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  8. ^ "Spotlight PA partners with Triblive/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, expands coverage of Western Pa". Spotlight PA. 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  9. ^ "PA Post Combines with Spotlight PA to Create Largest Statewide News Organization in Pennsylvania". WITF Public Media. August 17, 2020.
  10. ^ "A note about your newsletter subscription". us21.campaign-archive.com. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  11. ^ "Our Mission". Spotlight PA. 2020-07-17. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  12. ^ "New year, new journalism ventures growing". The Seattle Times. 2022-01-12. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  13. ^ "Support Spotlight PA". Spotlight PA. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
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