What you see here today is just a fraction of what we hope to become — with your help.
We are veteran journalists and local residents who for the past several months have been laying the groundwork to launch the Marblehead News Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news outlet covering the town.
Those involved in guiding the effort include (but are not limited to):
- Ed Bell, former Boston bureau chief of the Associated Press, MHTV host and Marblehead Harbor Rotarian;
- Jessica Barnett, teaches communications at Salem State University and is the incoming president of the Rotary Club of Marblehead Harbor;
- Kris Olson, professional journalist for 24 years, 14 of which were spent serving as editor of the Marblehead Reporter (2000-2015); and
- Leigh Blander, an experienced TV, radio and print journalist who has written hundreds of stories for the Marblehead Reporter. She also works as a PR specialist.
We’re committed to the idea that it’s critically important for Marblehead residents to know what’s happening in town — at Abbot Hall, in classrooms, on playing fields, and among our many active community groups.
We know the damaging impact on communities that lose local news coverage — participation in town politics drops, corruption increases, and people feel less connected to their neighbors.
We also know the importance of professional, editorially independent and fact-based journalism. Our news site (and, we expect, print editions down the road) will be free and available to all, supported by grants, sponsorships and advertisers.
For now, we are accepting financial contributions by mail to: Marblehead News Group, 217 Humphrey St., Marblehead, MA 01945. We plan to establish secure links to make donations online soon.
We also want you to help shape what we become. To that end, please take a moment to fill out this quick survey and let us know what news is important to you. Feel free to share the survey with your contacts as well.
You can also offer us suggestions (or help!) by sending an email to info@marbleheadnews.org.
Due to the important questions on the ballot this election day June 21, we decide to do a “soft launch” now. While new content will pop up on the site throughout the summer at a moderate pace, we’ll be devoting much of our time and energy over the next couple of months on fundraising and putting the pieces in place that will allow us to go full tilt — including with a print edition — by the fall.
We look forward to bringing local news back to Marblehead!
