Who’s behind the Arkansas Advocate and how long will it be be around

Side view of Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock. (John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate)

As the mid-point of 2024 passes, this seems a good time to address the big questions I frequently get asked.

Folks I encounter as I attend meetings and events around Arkansas want to know where we get our funding and is it sustainable. Those are fair questions given the turmoil in the news ecosystem, what with layoffs, newspapers closing and online news startups shutting down.

Even as the news industry faces an uncertain future, the Arkansas Advocate is fortunate to be part of States Newsroom. The North Carolina-based nonprofit has obtained sustainable, recurring funding to start up newsrooms like ours in 39 states. With online news partners in 11 other states, we can truly say we have a presence in all 50 states.

Like all States Newsroom affiliates, the Advocate focuses on covering state government and public policies, informing Arkansans daily about issues of importance and matters of interest.

States Newsroom’s support will ensure we’re around for years to come.

But your buy-in is critical if we want to continue to grow.

One of my goals since starting the Advocate in 2022 has been to add another reporter to our core staff so we can share even more news and commentary to enhance the conversations you have with family, friends and your elected officials.

Over nearly two years, Arkansans have shown a deep appreciation for our work. Numerous small weekly and daily newspapers have republished the Advocate’s stories and many of you have quoted us and directed others to our stories on social media.

Our content will always be free to read. We don’t hide our best stuff behind a paywall. You won’t find any advertisements or annoying pop-ups.

So, if you’ve liked our coverage of Arkansas’ first female governor, the regular and special legislative sessions and the changes in public education, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us grow. No donation is too small.

And if you can’t donate now, please keep reading us and sharing us with your friends and neighbors.

Thank you reading the Arkansas Advocate.

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