Signal Ohio
Signal Ohio, formerly known as the Ohio Local News Initiative, is a network of independent, community-led, nonprofit newsrooms backed by a coalition of Ohio organizations, community leaders and the American Journalism Project. It’s one of the largest local nonprofit news startups in the country, with a newsroom in Cleveland and a newsroom in Akron.
The newsrooms produce high-quality accountability journalism while working directly with residents to produce and distribute community reporting, employing innovative models for local journalism, such as local affiliates of the award-winning Documenters Network by City Bureau, that are directly responsive to local information needs. Information that is produced for communities by Signal Ohio is free to access and available to partners for republishing.
Signal Ohio receives support from a broad coalition of local and national philanthropies, organizations, and individuals for its mission to ensure every resident of Ohio has the local news and information they need.
The organization is governed by a board that is representative of Ohio’s diverse communities and is an independent 501(c)(3) organization.
People are not engaging. Part of that is because people feel disenfranchised, that their voice doesn’t matter. That’s why local journalism is so critical, because it brings attention to the diversity of stories that are out there, and it validates people’s experiences.
Victor Ruiz, Executive Director, Esperanza, Cleveland
Leaders
Collette Laisure
Michelle Everhart Sullivan
