Monday marks the five-year anniversary of the merger between 漏 2024 外网天堂 and the St. Louis Beacon.
Collectively known as 漏 2024 外网天堂, the alliance of the two organizations was a bold move that increased the capacity for more journalists to tell more local and regional news stories.
鈥淚t has been astounding in five years what鈥檚 happened both in journalism and what鈥檚 happened in this community,鈥� explained Tim Eby, general manager of 漏 2024 外网天堂. 鈥淚 think 漏 2024 外网天堂 has been able to fit in and do a pretty good job of covering this region in a much more substantial way, certainly more than what we were able to do before the merger.鈥�
The St. Louis Beacon was an online-only news organization founded by people who had previously worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Margaret Wolf Freivogel, a former St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter and editor, was one of the St. Louis Beacon鈥檚 founders and became the first news leader of the combined 漏 2024 外网天堂/St. Louis Beacon organization.
鈥淭he region has a resource that really didn鈥檛 exist in the same way before, and at a time when the future of journalism is still very much in the air, I think that we鈥檝e got a solid, strong organization here that鈥檚 dedicated to the right purposes,鈥� Freivogel said.
A 2013 document outlining the vision for a merged newsroom argued that a 鈥渧igorous, powerful, forward-looking news organization can light the path to a better St. Louis and lead the way nationally in reinventing journalism as a trusted partner in a better democracy.鈥�
Eby said the merger marked the first time in the country that an online and nonprofit news organization combined resources with a public radio station. In just the past year, he said, similar arrangements have transpired in Los Angeles, Washington and New York City.
鈥淭he vision is to get as close to the truth as you can every day and reach as many people as possible with that reporting,鈥� Freivogel added. 鈥淔iguring out how to do that is always a work in progress.鈥�
Perhaps the biggest test of how the merged news organization would operate came in August 2014, when Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old African-American man, was shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson. The ensuing protests and coverage exposed systemic issues of racism and inequity and brought those issues to the attention of many people who either didn鈥檛 care or who weren鈥檛 aware of such problems.
鈥淲e learned to trust each other in moments of great challenge and danger,鈥� Freivogel said of the combined newsroom. 鈥淲e were just all-consumed with covering that story.鈥�
A financial risk
Since the merger and up until the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2018, 漏 2024 外网天堂 operated a budget deficit.
Although currently operating a budget surplus for the first time in the history of the combined news organization, Eby explained that the merger was a financial risk.
鈥淎t the time, we added 15 people to the payroll,鈥� he said.
The addition of staff also came when the universities that operate most of the public radio stations in Missouri were decreasing their direct financial support.
鈥淎t the time of the merger we were raising $3 million annually from donors, and today it is over $5 million,鈥� Eby said.
And aside from any financial concerns came changes in technology, the growth in reaching people online and the emergence of podcasts and smart speakers.
Eby said the station is continuing to expand. In addition to recently adding a reporter in Rolla, Missouri, and the announcement of an investigative reporter who starts in January, he said the station is also considering adding a reporter in the metro-east.
鈥淭he common thread is that people need solid information about what's going on in their community,鈥� Freivogel said.
Producers鈥� Note: This interview was produced, written and edited without influence from 漏 2024 外网天堂 management.
brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. St. Louis on the Air host and producers , , and give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.
