Here's the Mat-Su Sentinel's launch plan
The Mat-Su Sentinel, an independent news source for Mat-Su, will publish its first news stories in June and July as part of a launch plan.
The Mat-Su Sentinel, an independent news source for Mat-Su, will publish its first news stories in June and July as part of a launch plan designed to serve readers in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough while balancing the demands of the organization's development phase.
The Sentinel is a one-person newsroom operated by Amy Bushatz, a longtime Palmer-based news reporter, and overseen by a board of directors. It is funded by individual donations, corporate sponsorships, grants and philanthropy.
The Sentinel will use a soft launch strategy, balancing story coverage with other organizational startup tasks such as fundraising and nonprofit business development, rather than waiting until late summer to launch news coverage with a full publishing schedule of multiple news stories each week.
What news will the Mat-Su Sentinel cover?
The Mat-Su Sentinel exists to fill nonpartisan news coverage gaps identified by Mat-Su residents. Chief among them is coverage of local government entities, including the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly and government; the Palmer, Wasilla, and Houston city governments; and the Matanuska-Susitna School District and School Board, according to an April survey of local residents.
In its startup phase, the Mat-Su Sentinel will primarily cover news related to local government impacts and decisions. As a one-person newsroom, coverage priority will typically be given to the stories that affect the most residents.
How often will the Mat-Su Sentinel be published?
The Sentinel will regularly publish news between now and mid-August, aiming for several stories a month during the soft-launch period.
After a regular publishing schedule is established, you can expect several Sentinel news stories a week.
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When will the Mat-Su Sentinel add more news coverage?
Clear, high-quality news reporting is a time-consuming task. Each story requires hours of research, interviews, writing and editing. The Sentinel will need to raise funds to hire a staff of skilled reporters and editors to thoroughly cover news around Mat-Su.
The Mat-Su Sentinel believes nonpartisan reporting is a public service. That's why we need your support to grow the organization.
Help us provide clear and accurate news reporting for Mat-Su. Support the Mat-Su Sentinel today.