For over 13 years, NNS has been on the move to give you the news you want and value.
Today I’m thrilled to share that we’ve made another move that will allow us to serve you even better.
The Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service has formally joined forces with Wisconsin Watch, the statewide investigative newsroom that has been our key partner for five years and an ally throughout our existence.
As nonprofit newsrooms, our mission is to provide high-quality journalism that is free, resourceful and accessible to residents. And we’ve learned throughout our partnership that we are better together than apart.
By allowing us to strengthen our organization and invest in shared newsroom resources, this merger will greatly enhance the core mission of NNS.
What you need to know
As readers, here’s what you can expect:
- We remain an independent newsroom. All decisions about news coverage are made in the NNS newsroom. And all our reporters are staying with NNS as part of the merger.
- NNS and Wisconsin Watch will work together to cover stories that connect Milwaukee to the rest of the state, and vice versa.
- We will together continue to listen to understand what Milwaukee needs from NNS — and we are charting that course now.
(The best way you can help us continue to do this work is by supporting our first membership program — join us!)
Proceeding until apprehended
When I became the leader of NNS five years ago (!), I vowed to “proceed until apprehended.”
And we have.
Building on the tremendous foundation laid by founding Editor Sharon McGowan and our NNS alums, we have grown from a newsroom with a small part-time staff to one that employs seven full-time reporters and editors.
We amplify the voices and stories of our audience—people who often are only covered by other media outlets during times of doom and gloom or drama and trauma.
We would not be here without the unwavering support of foundations; donors; and Marquette University and its Diederich College of Communication, which served as our administrative and business home until July 1.
Our offices (including Wisconsin Watch’s Milwaukee location) will remain in the College of Communication, and we will continue to train and mentor the next generation of journalists and media leaders by offering internships and leveraging our expertise to the College of Communication and the rest of the university.
This fall, to start, we are paying five interns to help us cover new beats, including the upcoming elections, sports, youth groups and minority businesses.
Putting the reader first
We will continue to provide reader-centered reporting that:
● Celebrates the ordinary people who do extraordinary things in the city to balance out the negative portraits that are painted about communities of color
● Educates the community about resources that are available to help them navigate the complexities of life
● Illuminates through rigorous reporting and explanatory journalism significant issues of interest for and in our communities
We’re confident that by joining forces with Wisconsin Watch, we’ll become stronger at ALL of these things.
I know we are definitely moving in the right direction to give you the newsroom Milwaukee deserves.
Thank you for being part of our journey. The best is yet to come.
Become an NNSustainer
Although our work is free, our labors are not. Your gift pays for our reporters and editors who make up one of the most diverse newsrooms in the country. Please help us flourish by making a gift so that we can continue to inform and transform our communities.
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