Last month, I had the pleasure of quality zoom time with Editor and General Manager Patti Epler and Vice President of Operations and Philanthropy Ben Nishimoto at the Honolulu Civil Beat. We spoke about how the nonprofit local news outlet is doing critical work not only in Honolulu, where they’re based, but on the surrounding islands, as well, which have seen local news sources imperiled. They produced essential journalism during the Lahaina wildfires, and continue to tell the stories of the government agencies’ response to the crisis and how the community is recovering and rebuilding.
After this article went to press, we learned that Patti is opting for a new role, becoming more of an editor-at-large while still serving as general manager. They are in search of a new editor-in-chief to lead the newsroom. What a wonderful opportunity for a qualified candidate to lead this impressive team — in Hawaii, no less!
Learn more about the Civil Beat at Editor & Publisher here: https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/award-winning-honolulu-civil-beat-thrives-as-a-nonprofit,248651
Photo: Honolulu Civil Beat’s team has grown to 33, including newsroom, operations and fundraising teams. They’ve won the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter’s “Best Overall News Site” 13 years in a row. They’ve also been honored with awards from the Asian American Journalists Association, the Institute for Nonprofit News, the Online Journalism Awards, the News Leaders Association and E&P, among others. (Photo by David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023)
Gretchen A. Peck 