Introduction

After 142 years of family ownership, The Spokesman-Review is set to become one of the nation’s first community-owned newspapers.

Community is our great unifier. It transcends politics, thriving on what we have in common rather than focusing on our divisions. Building on that foundation, the nonprofit Comma Community Journalism Lab’s mission is to tell the stories that matter most to local readers, while educating and mentoring the next generation of journalists.

Comma is a disruptor by design. We are reinventing every aspect of our organization, from the way our newsrooms work, to the role of advertising and memberships, to our teaching partnerships with five colleges and two regional school districts in the Inland Northwest. Comma begins in Spokane – Washington’s second largest city – with a storied history of supporting local journalism. But as a model for saving and strengthening community journalism throughout America, this is just the start. Here is our story, our mission and how you can join us.

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Our Impact

Comma focuses on media literacy and trust. It uses local journalism as a unifying element for the community — showing we all have more in common than we have different.

  • Community-Funded Reporters

    The Spokesman-Review has had community and philanthropic-funded journalists in its newsroom since 2019, and the independence of its journalists is sacred. That vital funding has supported coverage of health care and staffing the newspaper's Washington, D.C., bureau. Community support allows the journalism to grow. When 300 people join the First Amendment Club, at an average donation of $3,500 a year, it will create $1 million in new journalism jobs in Eastern Washington.

  • Live Events

    We take the news off the newspaper pages and take the conversation into the community with our Northwest Passages live journalism events. From nationally known authors to top newsmakers, Spokane residents can interact with and ask questions directly to those who contribute to history in the making.

    Northwest Passages

  • Political Debates

    Hosting forums that educate voters remains at the core of our mission. We take it a step further: sometimes, a local high school debate team will be the ones asking questions.

  • Difference Makers

    Each year, The Spokesman-Review and its readers honor residents who have made a difference throughout the year. These are everyday leaders who have helped those in need or brought attention and solutions to challenges facing the Inland Northwest.

    This year's honorees

  • Women of the Year

    The Spokesman-Review honors women from across Eastern Washington and North Idaho as the Inland Northwest Women of the Year. We tell their their stories of achievement and commitment to making our hometowns better tomorrow.

    This year's honorees

Our Vision

Our mission is our business model. Comma blends reader revenue, philanthropy, advertising and community partnerships to sustain high-impact journalism and rebuild public trust in the press. This serves as a scalable blueprint for independent local media nationwide.

  • Local Universities

    Comma is collaborating with regional colleges, universities and high schools to foster education, innovation and community engagement while providing students with real-world applied learning opportunities.

  • Community Newspapers

    We are working to revitalize access to local news, amplify underrepresented voices and help strengthen communities througout Eastern Washington and North Idaho.

  • National Model

    Global nonprofit advisers and collaborators at the Bridgespan Group have pressure-tested Comma's plan and identified 30 other communities nationwide that could use this innovative business model.

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