Spotlight PA: Difference between revisions

'''Spotlight PA ([https://www.spotlightpa.org spotlightpa.org])''' is an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spotlight PA: Pennsylvania news and investigations |url=https://www.spotlightpa.org/about/ |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=Spotlight PA |language=en-us}}</ref> The organization was founded in 2019 by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and a coalition of news organizations in the state, and was built from the ground up by founding editor [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbaxter1/ Christopher Baxter], who has since been promoted to chief executive officer and president.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Editor named to lead Spotlight PA statewide investigative project |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/business/career-workplace/2019/03/06/spotlight-philadelphia-inquirer-pittsburgh-post-gazette-investigative-journalism-chris-baxter/stories/201903060146 |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |language=en}}</ref><ref name="SPAPR">{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=August 29, 2019 |title=PennLive & The Patriot-News join Spotlight PA as founding partners |url=https://www.spotlightpa.org/press-releases/2019/pennlive-the-patriot-news-join-spotlight-pa-as-founding-partners/ |access-date=November 6, 2021 |website=Spotlight PA}}</ref> Since that time, Spotlight PA has become a leading national model for independent, collaborative journalism that informs and inspires residents to drive positive change.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-11 |title=American Journalism Project invests $1 million in Spotlight PA as model for local news |url=https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2022/01/american-journalism-project-grants-ajp-spotlight-pa/ |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=Spotlight PA |language=en-us}}</ref> Spotlight PA has won numerous state, regional and national awards for its reporting, including the 2022 Freedom of Information Award from [[Investigative Reporters and Editors|Investigative Reporters & Editors]], the 2022 [[Gerald Loeb Award]] (local category), the 2022 Best Investigative Journalism Award from the [[Institute for Nonprofit News]], and the 2021 Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award from the [[Online News Association]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-02 |title=Spotlight PA wins 10 statewide journalism awards, including top honors for its redistricting coverage |url=https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2022/05/spotlight-pa-2022-journalism-awards-redistricting-public-service/ |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=Spotlight PA |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Management |first=UCLA Anderson School of |date=2023-01-27 |title=Winners of the 2022 Gerald Loeb Awards Announced by UCLA Anderson at New York City Event |url=https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/news-and-events/press-releases/winners-2022-gerald-loeb-awards-announced-ucla-anderson-new-york-city-event |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=UCLA Anderson School of Management |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-19 |title=Spotlight PA wins two national investigative journalism awards |url=https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2021/10/spotlight-pa-investigative-journalism-pennsylvania-awards/ |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=Spotlight PA |language=en-us}}</ref>

Spotlight PA was founded by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism and officially launched in September 2019 as an independent newsroom operating through ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer|''The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'']] in partnership with founding newsrooms ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'', and [[PennLive]]/''[[The Patriot-News]]''.<ref name="SPAPR" /> In 2020, [[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|TribLIVE/''The Tribune-Review'']] replaced the ''Post-Gazette'' among the founding partners.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-13 |title=Spotlight PA partners with Triblive/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, expands coverage of Western Pa. |url=https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2020/08/spotlight-pa-triblive-tribune-review-pittsburgh-partnership/ |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=Spotlight PA |language=en-us}}</ref> Also that year, Spotlight PA acquired PA Post, a nonprofit newsroom started by [[WITF-TV|WITF Public Media]] in Harrisburg, which joined the founding members as part of that deal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.witf.org/2020/08/17/pa-post-combines-with-spotlight-pa-to-create-largest-statewide-news-organization-in-pennsylvania/|date=August 17, 2020|title=PA Post Combines with Spotlight PA to Create Largest Statewide News Organization in Pennsylvania|publisher=WITF Public Media}}</ref>

In August 2023, Spotlight PA went fully independent from its founding partners, reforming as a Pennsylvania nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and acquiring all of its related assets from the ''Inquirer''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A note about your newsletter subscription |url=https://us21.campaign-archive.com/?u=efd97981722dbde9a2ba34455&id=0528d7587f&e=3c44baf737 |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=us21.campaign-archive.com}}</ref> The newly formed company is led by Baxter and a new board of directors, chaired by renowned journalism leader [https://klein.temple.edu/directory/david-boardman-tuf33254 David Boardman].