Crosscut Public Media Programs
News & Analysis
Crosscut’s team of experienced editors and writers produce approximately 1,500 original, quality articles each year. Our news reporting, analysis and commentary is mostly focused on the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of an issue. These questions are more complicated and nuanced than the who, what, when and where of a traditional news story. We require a nonpartisan, open and multi-viewpoint orientation. The ‘why’ and ‘how’ are mostly about context, something sadly missing in public dialogue. With today’s fragmented media landscape, we simply don’t have the resources of a large daily or network affiliate to be the first to report on a fire, a game or a vote. Crosscut’s community of more than 100 smart, experienced writers and editors can flesh out, supplement — and at times contradict — traditional print and broadcast reporting. Crosscut, for example, was among the first to really cover the region's coal port proposal, which has now become a major story for all outlets.
Crosscut Conversations
We want news reporting and analysis that leads to live, civil discourse; to real, in-person conversations involving many points of view. Civic Cocktail, our partnership with CityClub and the Seattle Channel, is a monthly conversation about urgent and timely issues facing our communities and region. We also host member events with editors and writers. The goal is to have our journalism inform deliberative discussions that move our region’s understanding and solutions forward.
News distribution
As today’s news sector struggles economically, Crosscut can provide a valuable service by offering its quality, independent content free to radio, print, television and other online partners. Our writers and editors are frequent guests on radio and TV news programs. We plan to offer a simple technology solution to anyone wanting republish our content. Newspapers in smaller markets are beginning to republish Crosscut content.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
Crosscut has nearly 1,000 annual members who contribute an average of $90 per year. Crosscut has high loyalty among its Members and has been viewed up to 290,000 times per month. Crosscut's readership and reach (news partnerships and news events) is on the rise.
We have received numerous local, regional and national grants from small, medium and large foundations -- a mark of both confidence in our mission and management but also a mark of support for quality journalism. That said, Crosscut, like so many independent news organizations, struggles for sustainability and growth.
Crosscut needs to hire more staff reporters and expand its freelance budget in order to provide more investigative and in-depth coverage of some key areas in the region, notably education, transportation, data and economics, and the arts. We also need to cover a wider geographical area where there is both growth and little or no truly local quality journalism.