I’ve just come back from a gathering of nonprofit news leaders, and I’m blown away by how much the industry has changed.
Even 10 years ago, High Country News was a rarity — one of just a handful of nonprofit news organizations in the country. Today there are hundreds, ranging from influential national players like ProPublica to small startups like Nebraska’s Flatwater Free Press and Mission Local in San Francisco.
I sat on a panel with Lauren Gustus, the executive editor at the Salt Lake Tribune (which went nonprofit in 2019), and Mark Trahant, a Shoshone Bannock tribal member (and former HCN board member) who is now editor-at-large at ICT, formerly Indian Country Today. Both are doing remarkable work.
What struck me, aside from the number and quality of nonprofit news outlets, was the central tenet behind all their work: Always put your readers first. In the old days, when news organizations could rely on advertising to pay the bills, there was often a sense that a journalist’s job was to tell the community what people ought to care about. With a nonprofit model, it’s often the other way around.
The staff of High Country News has understood this for a long time, of course. Not only do we depend on readers for three-quarters of our revenue, via subscription dues and donations, but given that our small team of journalists has to cover a massive chunk of real estate — 12 very different states and hundreds of tribal nations — we depend on you to be our eyes and ears, sharing your insights and story ideas.
And that’s why the gathering got me to wondering just what HCN means for you, right now, in the midst of our topsy-turvy, media-saturated world.
What void does HCN fill in your life? How does our reporting complement the news you get from your local paper or national media? Do you feel like it connects you to others with similar interests and problems? Does it challenge you to look at the West differently? Have there been any recent stories that you found especially thought-provoking or helpful?
Does HCN challenge you to look at the West differently?
I have my own ideas, having been an HCN reader for, well … let’s just say a long time now. But I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories about why you read High Country News and how we could serve you better. Send us an email at dearfriends@hcn.org or drop a letter in the mail to High Country News, P.O. Box 1090, Paonia, CO 81428. I promise we’ll read every one — and do our best to respond.
Check out the new site!
If you haven’t yet logged into our new website and noodled around to see the new bells and whistles, we encourage you to come visit. Not only will you see how easy it is to access and manage your own account now, but you can also read all the stories that we publish on the website but don’t make it into the magazine. Even the stories you saw in the magazine might look different; online, we can share more of the wonderful art that won’t quite fit on the magazine’s pages.
If you have any questions or problems logging in, please reach out to our customer service team at support@hcn.org. (Side note: A BIG thank you to those who helped troubleshoot some of our transitional issues!) If there’s one thing we’ve been reminded of during this transition, it’s that sometimes you just need help from a human who cares.
Welcome, Eva!
If you’re a member of our Sustainers’ Club monthly giving network, you may already have heard from the newest member of HCN’s fundraising team, Eva Videla. Eva joined us in January — just in time for our staff and board gathering in Portland. She comes to us from a fundraising position with the National Young Farmers Coalition, has a master’s in communication and calls Las Cruces, New Mexico, home. In addition to taking care of monthly givers, she’ll be spearheading a new mid-level donor club and working with some of our major donors. Questions? You can reach Eva at eva.videla@hcn.org.
Greg Hanscom is the publisher and executive director for High Country News. Email him at greg.hanscom@hcn.org or submit a letter to the editor. See our letters to the editor policy.
This article appeared in the May 2024 print edition of the magazine with the headline “What does HCN mean to you?”
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