American Public News is a modern news service. Legacy news services were born in the late 19th century, or early 20th century. At those times, the need for news revolved around spreading the cost of telegraphic communication and the hardship of each publisher to send a correspondent to the White House, the statehouse, or a world war.

That demand for news has gone from a lean supply to a surfeit of content. The internet has made it possible to bring the world to your laptop screen. Want the latest on a Middle East war? How’s the U.S. Presidential race doing? Have you heard what the latest Hollywood idol has to say? It is all there.

After addressing the need for international news and covering the goings-on in Washington, DC, the need is for local news – not the sort of market for news services built for international relations, DC scandals or the most-general, but fascinating events in major cities.

Given this background — the vast supply of news sources and the growing (albeit unprofitable) need for local news — The American Public News was born.

First off APN is not seeking news to fit the widest audience, but targeting under-covered local issues and regions of the U.S. which might receive parachute journalism, at most.

Likwise, as we’ve watched the journalism industry nosedive in terms of job losses and ad sales, the world of nonprofit public news reporting has grown stronger. The days of nonprofits propping-up failing newspapers is coming to an end, replaced by news sources led by veteran journalists – often from those same failing publishers. Then there is the image of nonprofit news reporting as a sort of boutique journalism, focusing on ethical questions not uppermost in the minds of newsreaders.

The time has come to harness the power of public journalism, power the next wave of local reporting.

When people think of nonprofit news, ProPublica, NPR, or PBS quickly come to mind. But there are many more examples of nonprofit news sites doing great journalism – even winning Pulitizers.

American Public News highlights the best of public reporting, including KFF Health News, Inside Climate News, The City and many more. At the same time, APN reports on daily events affecting average lives and local concerns.

Founder,

Ed Sutherland

NY