As journalists, our profession requires us to look unflinchingly at some of the hardest moments for our communities, ask uncomfortable questions and share what we learn with you. Every day.
When a single event such as a pandemic or a public safety emergency reshapes our collective reality, existing assignments are set aside and the Bangor Daily News’ entire staff transforms into a team with a singular focus: how to bring Maine readers the information you need to understand what is happening and how it may affect your family, friends and community.
Following the Lewiston mass shooting, one BDN reader told us, “I so appreciate your attention to accuracy when there is so much misinformation out there. Helps me feel a little less helpless.”
In these moments – and even when we aren’t facing a crisis – the BDN news team is compassionate, fair, relentless, fearless and thorough. Mainers rely on our journalists to help them feel less alone, and to make the complex understandable, story by story, day in and day out.
What it costs to produce high quality local journalism
Here is why we are asking for your support.
As both readers and advertising have moved online, the old business model for local news simply no longer works. That’s a big part of why, as of 2022, more than two newspapers a week were closing in the United States. Without local journalism, communities suffer. Fewer people know the stakes on local issues, fewer people run for office, and a void in reported news means misinformation fills the gap and polarization grows.
The BDN has maintained its independence and a high-performing newsroom by innovating how we staff, how we distribute our work, and how we pay for it. Today, donations from supporters who understand the importance of strong local journalism help to sustain our community news service.
High-quality local journalism is not cheap, and by asking for your support we owe you insight into those costs. Here’s just one example.
Over the past 12 months, the Maine Focus team has produced 14 investigations into the origins and impacts of PFAS.
Not only does this reporting take time, it’s expensive. These stories take weeks to report, write and edit. Then there are the costs of mileage, meals and public records.
All told, these 14 stories cost approximately $23,500 to produce. Sixty percent paid the salaries of reporters, 14.3 percent paid for our editing costs, 15.9 percent covered records requests and 9.8 percent paid for travel and mileage costs.
Your support will help to sustain our community news service mission
The Bangor Daily News is committed to sustaining and strengthening local journalism for Maine and we are grateful for your support this season. Please join us.
You may donate online at bangordailynews.com/support, or send a check along with your name, address and phone:
Bangor Daily News – donations
1 Merchants Plaza
P.O. Box 1329
Bangor, ME 04402
Your contribution on Giving Tuesday will support our accountability and community reporting teams, helping us report for you and all Mainers in 2024.
The Bangor Daily News is not a 501(c)(3) organization, so a donation using the link or address above is not tax deductible. However, there are options for tax-deductible donations in support of certain areas of reporting. Contact Audience Director Jo Easton at [email protected] to inquire.
We are ever so grateful for your support.
