Hello!
By now you’re beginning to get to know Los Angeles Public Press, but we haven’t gotten to know each other. So, here’s my introduction: I’m Matthew Tinoco, Publisher and Founder of Los Angeles Public Press. I’m from Los Angeles and I love my home. It hurts to see it taken care of so poorly by those who hold the power.
In late 2020, I quit my position as a reporter at a local radio station. I’d been covering housing insecurity and homelessness, the issues Angelenos consistently rank as most urgent. But I was out of gas, and close to falling off the burnout cliff.
I quit for many reasons; but fundamentally, because I couldn’t match my vision of journalism with the daily reality of what I was being asked to do. As a reporter, I spoke to so many struggling people who lived outside, or were somewhere on the long downward fall of increasingly precarious living situations before the cold hard floor of Los Angeles’ streets and sidewalks.
The things they told me, their insights and expertise about how housing works in Los Angeles, are integral to charting a meaningful path forward. But I was seldom able to get their voices on the air. Instead, there was always a press conference to cover or a politician’s reaction-quote to harvest, vacuuming up any space in my day to work on the deeper stuff.
I wanted to work in a newsroom that was willing to stand for a more just and equitable city — where our air and water is free of pollution, our housing is affordable and accessible, and our systems of justice and safety are restorative.
Today, Los Angeles Public Press is that newsroom.
As I write this, I am joined by seven incredible colleagues who are working hard to build a muckracking powerhouse for Los Angeles. But this story is bigger than just the newsroom. It’s about you, your neighbors, all Angelenos, and what we collectively need from our local media.
We aim to fully launch in the coming months. Until then, we are listening and learning from our neighbors with special focus on communities that have seldom been given sincere consideration by local media.
This is not only about ensuring we cover the important issues and present them thoughtfully and accessibly. It is the foundation for building a newsroom that shares its power with those already working to build a better Los Angeles, and to address the continuing harm perpetuated, and upheld, by news media.
Of course, your tax-deductible financial support is key to ensuring the long-term sustainability of this newsroom. We can’t do it without you.
Stay tuned.
— Matthew Tinoco, and @LAPublicPress ♥