As 2024 came to a close, media reports lamented the decline of traditional newspapers, citing the loss of more than 3,200 local news outlets since 2005. But the same reports presented one bright spot: the emergence of digital news sites providing local voices with a much-needed platform for airing views on local issues. Re:Public is a leader among those emerging news sites, providing an innovative platform designed to amplify local voices.
“Today’s news landscape is dominated by corporate media, which controls what we see and read in the US,” says Vince Cvijanovic, VP of Marketing and Sales at Re:Public. “As news sources have become increasingly concentrated in the hands of just a few large corporations, the result is a homogenization of narratives that, many people believe, may be misleading and lead to the wrong conclusions.”
Re:Public is on a mission to bring a different voice to the discussions taking place around news topics, one that is nonpartisan and respectful. Its founders believe that supporting small businesses, local organizations, and grassroots movements are among the most critical factors in helping local communities function well. By encouraging and empowering respectful dialogue around these issues, Re:Public celebrates diverse perspectives and fosters unity.
“Our aim is to give people the information they need to identify the issues of greatest concern, share that with their local communities, and work together to address those issues and improve their communities,” Cvijanovic explains. “The more people are informed, the better they will be able to participate and guide the government, which in the United States is supposed to be focused on serving ‘we the people.’”
Re:Public connects citizens to local issues
Visitors to the Re:Public news site are greeted with a pop-up window that invites them to join its local news movement by identifying the state and town in which they live. Once that information is provided, the site delivers an expertly curated list of local news reports that can be filtered to focus on a wide variety of topics, from “Breaking News” to “Government Accountability” to “Weather & Disaster Response.” Examples of the types of articles users can find include overviews of healthcare services in their areas, reports on emerging crime issues, and coverage of discussions taking place at community leader meetings.
“We want to provide Americans with an alternative to the crowded social media landscape, which is where nearly a quarter of our citizens are now turning for local news,” says Cvijanovic. “The news section of our platform spotlights the topics and issues driving our communities forward, rather than social metrics. Our focus is on causes, not profiles.”
Re:Public connects citizens and local officials
In addition to reconnecting citizens to their local news, the Re:Public platform also facilitates a connection between citizens and their government representatives. Through its “My Representatives” tab, the platform enables site visitors to view profiles of their federal, state, county, and local officials. In many cases, the profiles provide contact information to encourage a dialogue between voters and their officials.
“Re:Public facilitates greater and easier access to elected representatives, giving citizens a tool for better understanding those representatives’ positions, voting records, and responsiveness to the communities they were elected to represent,” Cvijanovic says. “Voters who know more about their representatives can make better decisions when it comes to voting.”
Re:Public also provides an ideal platform for new candidates to connect with the citizens they aim to serve. The platform is a direct line to voters that bypasses the costs of traditional media, along with the censorship that it can impose. The low barrier to entry Re:Public provides allows candidates to gain momentum for their campaigns without a massive budget.
Re:Public advances integrity with citizen-funded reporting
The founders of Re:Public knew providing a pure, unfiltered experience — one that reflected their dedication to transparency — would require operating a platform that didn’t track personal data or serve up ads. So, they established a citizen-funded media platform that would give contributors the tools and support needed to post raw, grassroots reports free from corporate media spin.
“Unlike other online platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X, 100 percent of our funding will come from subscriptions of contributors,” says Cvijanovic. “Our news and other citizen-focused services are not supported by advertisers or through collecting and selling data from our users. It’s a resource that allows citizens to stay informed without registration or email tracking, which keeps the experience straightforward and free from unnecessary distractions.”
The decline of unbiased and reliable local news media leaves citizens without the forum they need to contribute to healthy communities. Re:Public restores that forum, giving citizens access to news that matters while also creating a transparent space for voters to engage in authentic dialogues with their elected officials.
