The Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, housed in the Diederich College of Communication at Marquette University, is a nonprofit news organization that covers Milwaukee’s diverse neighborhoods. All editorial decisions are made by its staff and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the university.
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, often referred to as NNS, is an ambitious, collaborative and pioneering news organization that for 14 years has delivered fact-based reporting to communities of color in Milwaukee. In 2024, following many successful collaborations, NNS merged with Wisconsin Watch as part of a bold vision to rebuild local news in Milwaukee and across Wisconsin.
NNS covers stories that are important to the people who live, work and serve in city neighborhoods, on topics such as education, public safety, economic development, health and wellness, environment, recreation, employment, youth development and housing.
NNS has won four regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence from RTDNA (Radio Television Digital News Association, as well as journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club every year from 2013 to 2018. In 2018, NNS won the gold award for Edgar Mendez’s two-part special report, “Last Call: Milwaukee’s South Side taverns.”
Milwaukee NNS traces its origins to the Zilber Neighborhood Initiative and United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee (UNCOM). Since inception, funders have included the Zilber Family Foundation, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Public Policy Forum, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, the Brewers Community Foundation, the Croen Foundation, the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, and contributions from individual donors.
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