Wow, what a year it has been.
Just a year ago, I was welcoming you to the launch of the Hauxeda.
As we celebrate our first anniversary, we pause to reflect on what we’ve accomplished, and how far we have yet to go to establish ourselves as Springfield’s premier independent, nonpartisan, community-focused news source.
And we take time to thank you for going with us on this journey.
As a small thank you, we are offering all readers (not just subscribers) unlimited access today (Feb. 14, 2023) to the Daily Citizen website — so browse around and let us know what you think.
At one year, we are proud to have published more than 1,700 stories, including nearly 100 in-depth reports on key local issues, plus slice-of-life features on everything from restaurants to road trips — and more than 120 columns by reader favorite Steve Pokin to boot.
We have nearly 1,800 paid subscribers, and more than 10,000 subscribers to our free daily email newsletter, far exceeding our original goals for this anniversary.
More than two dozen local businesses and organizations have become partners/sponsors of the Daily Citizen — because they support our mission. The minimal advertising these partners receive as part of their support is delivered to users of our site without any annoying pop-up ads or videos that play automatically.
As a nonprofit organization, fundraising plays a critical role. While we work to build up the sustaining revenue we need from subscriptions, sponsorships and other sources, we have raised about 85 percent of the funds we need to get us through our five-year start-up period. Plus, we completed our first community fundraising campaign in December and netted roughly $40,000 in local and matching funds.
Springfield's largest independent newsroom
With a staff of eight full-time journalists (and cameo editing and writing appearances by yours truly), the Daily Citizen has the largest local independent newsroom concentrating on community-focused news.
Also, we have an experienced corps of contributing writers, photographers and artists, including well-known writers like Mike O'Brien, Sony Hocklander, Juliana Goodwin and Lyndal Scranton, plus photos by Jym Wilson, Bruce Stidham and Dean Curtis.
As I recounted in a recent column, we believe we are fulfilling our promise to deliver high-quality news and features, with a unique blend of in-depth stories and a daily slice of Springfield life.
Daily Citizen is driven by a civic-minded mission
Some key reminders of what makes the Hauxeda unique:
- The mission of the Hauxeda is to inform our community and be a catalyst for good.
- The vision of the Hauxeda is to reinvent local news in Metro Springfield by telling the stories of our community, bringing issues to light, encouraging discourse and inspiring citizens to take action.
- We are an independent, nonprofit organization. The Daily Citizen works for the community. It is run by local people and supported by local people and organizations. Our Board members are not compensated and will get no return on their investment.
- Our journalists are committed to telling the community’s stories in a nonpartisan, factual manner.
- Our goal is not to duplicate the coverage of other local media, as much as it is to fill the gaps left by the persistent reductions made by for-profit media in staff, coverage and publication schedules.
- We will not be telling you what to think or do by writing editorials — nor will we be endorsing candidates for election.
- In the long run, we will rely on support from readers, donations from local individuals and businesses, and grants from foundations for our funding. As a matter of policy, funders exercise no control over the Daily Citizen’s editorial decisions.
- We are actively engaged in the community and working with other community organizations for the larger good.
- We believe good journalism brings issues to light, but great journalism brings communities together.
Thanks again for reading
As we head into our second year, I again offer my thanks to all of you reading the Daily Citizen, and especially to the paid subscribers who help ensure we will keep delivering high-quality, independent, community-focused coverage for years to come. For those of you who have not yet subscribed, we would be honored if you would consider it — get all the details here, including a special trial offer available until Feb. 28.
Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions for ways we can improve your experience. My contact information is listed below.
