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Championing Public Lands Through Independent Journalism

The Critical Need for Dedicated Public Lands Coverage

The United States encompasses approximately 640 million acres of public land, managed by federal agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and Forest Service. These lands account for a substantial portion of the country's total area and are central to economic activity and political discourse. Despite their immense importance, there has been a noticeable absence of dedicated journalistic efforts to cover the multifaceted issues surrounding them, a gap that RE:PUBLIC seeks to bridge.

Founding RE:PUBLIC: A Vision for Investigative Reporting

Chris Keyes, who previously led Outside magazine, recently unveiled RE:PUBLIC. This non-profit news organization is specifically designed to focus on public lands issues. The initiative comes at a crucial juncture, with concerns about federal agencies facing budget cuts and potential sales of public lands to private entities. Keyes' ambitious plan for the first year includes a budget of $500,000 to recruit an editorial director and a Washington, D.C. reporter, launch a podcast, establish social media channels, and produce a dozen investigative stories. Future expansions are set to include a data analysis team, regional reporters, and an annual print publication.

Addressing the Decline in Environmental Journalism

Keyes emphasizes the timeliness of RE:PUBLIC's mission, noting that public lands are an integral part of American history and future. He highlights the critical state of media, with a significant reduction in the number of working journalists over the past two decades. This decline has left many important topics, including public lands, underreported. While some specialized outlets offer excellent coverage, Keyes argues that the overall journalistic presence in this area is insufficient. He believes that more dedicated journalists are essential to thoroughly explore the complexities of public land management and conservation.

Navigating Funding and Independence for Non-Profit News

As a non-profit entity, RE:PUBLIC relies on diverse funding sources. Keyes is focusing initial efforts on individual donors and foundations, noting that individual contributions can be secured more quickly, while foundations offer the potential for more substantial, sustained funding. RE:PUBLIC operates under the fiscal sponsorship of the Institute for Nonprofit News, a common arrangement for new non-profits awaiting their own federal status. A key principle of RE:PUBLIC's funding model is transparency, requiring the disclosure of donors contributing over $5,000. Keyes also intends to maintain journalistic independence by establishing a clear separation between the business development and editorial functions, ensuring that editorial decisions are not swayed by funding sources.

Public Sentiment and Editorial Stance on Public Lands

Surveys indicate strong bipartisan support among American voters, particularly in the Western states, for keeping public lands in public hands and against reducing monument designations. RE:PUBLIC intends to cover public lands from a bipartisan standpoint, recognizing that these issues resonate across the political spectrum. The organization's editorial philosophy is built on two core principles: acknowledging climate change as a human-caused, settled scientific fact, and advocating for the equal consideration of recreation and conservation in management decisions. While RE:PUBLIC is not an advocacy group, it maintains a fundamental commitment to the long-term preservation of public lands, investigating policy proposals thoroughly rather than dismissing them outright.

Crafting Compelling Narratives and Visual Storytelling

Keyes acknowledges the challenge of maintaining audience engagement when covering potentially negative news. He plans to combat "audience fatigue" by focusing on compelling narratives within investigative stories. The initial strategy is to produce 10 to 12 high-impact, feature-length investigative pieces in the first year, prioritizing quality over sheer volume. While he admits a historical bias towards written content, Keyes recognizes the crucial role of photography in enhancing stories and plans to adjust resource allocation to adequately support visual journalism as the organization evolves.

Regional Focus and Western Influence

Based in the Western United States, where the majority of public lands are located, RE:PUBLIC faces the challenge of balancing regional focus with national relevance. While some funders encourage a more regional approach, Keyes believes that a Western base is essential due to the profound daily interaction of Western residents with public lands, which often generates a heightened awareness of these issues compared to the East Coast. He recognizes the existence of public lands in the East but asserts that the most pressing and complex challenges primarily manifest in the West, justifying the organization's regional concentration.