Readers of THE SCOOP likely noticed sponsorship messages in the newsletter recently. And we heard from some fans of our work who did not like the change. To them, we want to share this context about corporate sponsorships with THE CITY:

It’s no secret that traditional models for funding quality journalism have collapsed in recent decades. Advertising dollars flow principally to major tech platforms, and paywalls raise barriers for the vast majority of readers.

THE CITY is a nonprofit because we believe that everyone has the right to the highest quality reporting, regardless of their ability to pay. We don’t have a paywall, for anyone.

But great reporting is expensive. We are able to provide it to all New Yorkers because we are ed by thousands of reader-, major foundations, corporate sponsors and generous individual donors. rs in our newsletter and on our website recognize the value of THE CITY’s audience, and the trust associated with our independent journalism. They are a relatively small but important source of revenue. 

None of our donors, sponsors or rs have any influence on our journalism. The purchase of sponsorships and ads is wholly separate from our editorial staff. As stated in our code of ethics, no one who gives us money should expect preferential coverage. They will not get it.

We are grateful for their and absolutely committed to editorial independence.

— Nic Dawes, executive director at THE CITY