Newspapers ‘Pay It Forward’

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Minneapolis has been on the minds of many since the devastating events of last week. But being on people’s minds wasn’t enough for some; one newspaper took it a step further. The Roanoke Times, a Virginia newspaper, sent a snack bundle including pork rinds, cupcakes, and other “delicacies” to the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press this week.

But this isn’t the first instance of this type of dogoodery among media cohorts. It appears the tradition began with the Oklahoman, which sent the Roanoke Times a similar box after the Virginia Tech massacre. The Oklahoman staff obviously understands the stresses placed upon local publications when disaster strikes an area, having lived through the Oklahoma City bombing. Looks like the Roanoke Times is just paying it forward.

—Anna Weggel

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Owned by no one—except you.

We just keep seeing it happen: Newsrooms owned by billionaires and corporations are spinning their own narratives, overwriting the truth, following only stories that keep them in the pocket of those with even more power.

Not here. We’re not owned by anyone. We’re not part of any cult that demands our allegiance to a bottom line. We’ve spoken up and spoken out while other newsrooms changed their stories—or cut them altogether—to keep the C suite happy.

Our mission is to find the truth and amplify it. That’s why we’re independent, nonprofit, and, crucially, funded by readers. The investigations on our website will always be free to read, watch, and listen to, but our newsroom is powered by readers who pitch in what they can so we can keep asking the hard questions.

Can you chip in today?

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