The Observer: Reinventing Local Journalism

Harriet Pearson will speak about the evolution of The Observer and how this locally owned newspaper is adapting to meet the challenges facing community journalism today. She will share innovative approaches to sustaining local news, including a membership-based funding model.

A healthy community depends on reliable reporting about local government, events, and issues that affect daily life. The Observer provides that essential service through the dedicated work of its small but committed team. Steve Pearson gathers the reporting and writes the paper, while Harriet serves as editor, shaping and guiding the publication’s voice and mission.