June marks the 16th Birthday for Voice of OC, not just a coming of age of sorts but a true feat of survival in a tough time for a media industry beset with stories of failure, frustration and loss of community.
Not so for Orange County.
And that’s because of you.
Our collective success is largely thanks to our unique readers – now averaging more than 200,000 every month, sometimes higher – as well as those who have become donors, now almost at 5,000 residents.
The journalists at Voice of OC send each and every one of you a strong thanks for the faith you’ve all put in their work.
Our readers have really stepped up to declare that our county won’t be shortchanged on the critical information we all need to protect our wonderful quality of life.
You’ve all crafted America’s toughest and most innovative local newsroom – designed to flesh out tough issues in real time with facts, putting residents in a position to make change.
OC is one of America’s most diverse communities – nourished by a host of different family backgrounds, nationalities, religions, interests and aspirations.
Given that diversity, there’s always going to be a lot of issues we don’t agree on.
And we don’t always have to agree.
We do have to live together.
That’s where real news comes in.
We all need realtime, critical information to help us figure out how best to get involved, even outraged, which ultimately helps us to come together on solutions to our most vexing challenges.
Our newsroom’s model has put residents in the driver’s seat, enabling them to save much-needed open spaces and get parks created as well as taming water and trash rates. The approach has also enabled residents to push for more critical services from city hall – like crossing guards.
[Read: Fighting for Room to Breathe in Crowded Orange County]
Right now, we are in the midst of an ongoing difficult debate over immigration enforcement, one that is playing out daily across our streets, city halls and courts.
[Read: Division Over ICE Raids Flares up in Orange]
As always, the Voice of OC journalists have hit the streets nonstop since the deportation sweeps began.
[Read: Immigration Sweeps Hit a Santa Ana Neighborhood on Father’s Day]
It’s a pattern that has repeated itself throughout the COVID pandemic, wildfires, oil spills, elections, budgets and numerous corruption scandals at the County of Orange and many city halls across our region.
In many cases, it’s reporting readers can’t find anywhere else.
It also holds local elected and appointed leaders accountable in real time, a critical factor for defending our quality of life.
[Read: Anaheim Officials Reverse Course and Fully Fund an Independent City Corruption Probe]
I learned that after so many years as an investigative reporter, once public services degrade or break down, they’re harder to fix.
In my experience, protecting our freedom and quality of life is done by fleshing out issues ahead of decisions, evaluating how the decisions are playing out and holding relevant officials accountable – both for their successes and failures.
[Read: Does Prop 1 Mean More Group Homes for Orange County?].
It’s a coverage plan – while wildly popular with readers – that doesn’t always endear us to governing elites.
That’s why this newsroom is designed with you and your family in mind.
It’s not here to sell advertising or seek business sponsorships or use commercial pop-ups to entertain.
Engagement is our model.
We’re here to help residents build community.
And our readers and donors tell us this is exactly what they want.
Over the past 16 years, we’ve never changed our strategy.
This past month, I was deeply honored and humbled to be recognized by my colleagues at the OC Press Club with a lifetime achievement award for my efforts in leading this newsroom as a Publisher and Editor.
And looking out at the crowd of colleagues in the audience, I was really taken aback by how many alumni at newsrooms across America have learned their trade in our newsroom.
I was awed by the number of college journalism students who our newsroom trained on a responsible approach to accountability news and how many supporters we have across Orange County.
[Read: Student Reporting Partnerships Fueling an Informed OC]
I’m most proud of the fact that all of our news is free to residents.
It’s an approach that I’ve been criticized for in industry circles for giving away too much for free and not depending on advertising, sponsorships, paywalls.
Yet I believe strongly in this model – which asks readers to choose their own subscription level with no strings attached, to figure out what they can afford to give back to the newsroom, ensuring the survival of its critical mission.
More and more, it’s working.
And we’re all looking into the future with great hope.
The key to that survival, dear reader, lies with you.
All this news is free to the community.
But it’s not free to produce.
It’s a small minority of readers that donate, whose collective leadership make this experience possible.
Consider joining them, chipping in what you can.
If every reader just gave $5, our newsroom would be fully funded and able to ensure every city hall is covered, every local journalism student with desire gets training, every resident wanting to publish their opinions are heard.
We’re looking forward to our next birthday!
