The death of one local news source led to the birth of another in the case of The Record North Shore, an online, not-for-profit news outlet providing all-original reporting and information for Wilmette, Highland Park and other towns nestled north of Chicago near the lakeshore.
“Ownership pulled the plug,” co-founder and Editor in Chief Joe Coughlin said of 22nd Century Media’s March 2020 decision to cease operations for its 24 local newspaper titles.
Coughlin was working with newsroom colleagues when the shutdown happened over the course of only four days. “The pandemic really crushed our model,” Coughlin said.
Quickly Rebuilt
After briefly mulling their options, Coughlin and colleagues Megan Bernard and Martin Carlino decided two things: They wanted to continue publishing journalism, and their communities desperately needed a source for local news, Coughlin said.
In a little over six months, the team incorporated their business as a not-for-profit and launched their website on October 1, 2020, Coughlin said, initially focusing on the Wilmette and New Trier areas.
“We were always non-profit, from the beginning,” Coughlin said. “We wanted community journalism to be a certain way. It was really about the public service part for us.”
CIMA Membership
“A lot of our path was already forged by Block Club Chicago,” Coughlin said of the Chicago-centered not-for-profit news source. “We used them as guidance. They were happy to help.”
Both The Record North Shore and Block Club Chicago are members of the Chicago Independent Media Alliance (CIMA), a coalition of nearly 70 local independent media outlets that collaborate and cooperate on resources, advocacy and best practices.
Fund-Raiser for Local News
CIMA’s current fund-raiser runs through Monday, June 19, 2023, and it benefits members like The Record North Shore, Block Club Chicago and the McKinley Park News.
Coughlin said he leads the day-to-day effort of publishing community news, which now spans six towns across the North Shore, including Wilmette, Winnetka, Northfield, Kenilworth, Glencoe and Highland Park. A bevvy of supporters and volunteers join freelance contributors in the publishing process, Coughlin said.
Old-School Journalism
“We’re on the ground, accessible and transparent,” Coughlin said. “We’ll go out and get the story: part of that old-school journalist in me.”
In addition to original news stories across a variety of topics, The Record North Shore produces podcasts and keeps its readers informed via email newsletters. Coughlin points to 30,000-plus monthly visitors, “the vast majority from our community.”
“This was a news desert,” Coughlin said. “There wasn’t a news outlet.”
Working Toward Sustainability
The Record North Shore is rapidly working toward sustainability, based on a foundation of direct reader support. “Readers support our journalism to the tune of 80 percent [of our budget],” Coughlin said.
CIMA has been a good source of support for their news organization, Coughlin said. “I like collaboration, and it’s nice to hear from other journalists.”
To help support local news outlets like The Record North Shore, donate to the CIMA fund-raiser, running now through Monday, June 19.
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