It could have been worse. Much worse. In fact, the executive director of the Missouri Press Association expected the COVID-19 pandemic to gut a local newspaper industry already reeling from more than a decade of competition from free digital content, rising newsprint costs and circulation declines. Seven of the state’s 200 or so newspapers ceased
Lexi Cortes got her first taste of investigative reporting at her college newspaper. When writing for the Alestle at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Cortes discovered major contradictions in the school administration’s statements regarding the closure of the school’s museum. She was hooked. Cortes now writes for the Belleville News-Democrat, where she recently reported on two
The national outdoor retailer REI Co-op wants to get people off their phones and into the outdoors by investing in local news organizations and publishing its own magazine instead of a catalog. The recreational outdoor equipment store is scheduled to publish its new magazine, Uncommon Path, this fall. REI also announced it would match up
By TRIPP FROLICHSTEIN / Media guru Tripp Frohlichstein dreams of delivering a “State of the 2014 Local News” address to St. Louis’ three TV stations (he considers Channels 2 and 11 one station as they share facilities and people). This is his dream address: "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for taking the time to discuss
