From the CEO: Our news is now free and easier to access, but we need your help

After a year-long experiment, the Long Beach Post took down its paywall and login requirement today, which means our news is again free to everyone.

We believe these changes better serve our mission and our community, and also reflect how much the area’s local news landscape has changed in a very short time.

Our news is now free to access, but — and this is important — it’s not free to produce. We’re making this change at great cost, and we need you and your neighbors to support us with a voluntary membership , which is now tax deductible as a donation.

Why are we doing this?

When we launched our paywall a year ago, it was a successful experiment that brought in close to 1,000 new subscribers. But even though it was a big step forward in covering the costs of the in-depth reporting you depend on, it never quite sat right with us.

We’ve always believed in the importance of reaching everyone in our community, not just those who could afford to pay for it.

Even though Long Beach is one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, one in five Long Beach residents live in poverty, including nearly one-third of families with young children. If we’re ever going to close that gap and solve problems in Long Beach, we need to ensure our most vulnerable have access to information and resources that empower them.

Becoming a nonprofit organization in December was the first step in codifying this part of the mission; removing this paywall is the next step.

We are incredibly grateful to the nearly 2,000 readers who support us with a subscription. We are committed to providing high-quality local news, and we hope you’ll continue to stand with us. Your contributions directly impact our ability to do this important work.

The need for robust local journalism has never been greater. Nationally, 2.5 newspapers closed per week in 2023, and in the last 20 years, roughly one-third of local newspapers have ceased operations, putting 43,000 journalists out of work. Many of these outlets have paywalls, but the numbers make it clear: paywalls alone won’t save us. Only you can.

You’re part of the solution

We believe in the power of local news to uplift our community. As we move forward without a paywall, we need your support now more than ever. Every contribution, big or small, will help us continue to serve Long Beach.

Thank you for your continued support and for being a part of our community. We look forward to this new chapter in our journey together.

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