It was founded in 2020 by veteran professional journalists and media executives living in Asheville, North Carolina. The staff is a mix of paid employees and volunteers. Our mission is to inform and engage the citizens of Asheville and surrounding communities by providing fair, factual and reliable in-depth news stories about local government, institutions, issues, and people. We believe that quality journalism in the public interest is essential for a healthy and successful democracy. We started Asheville Watchdog because local news is in crisis. One-fourth of America’s newspapers have closed in the past 15 years, including 300 in the past two years. More than 1,800 communities nationwide that had local newspapers 15 years ago now have no original reporting. Half of all newsroom jobs vanished since 2008. This means there are fewer reporters to keep watch over state and local government, to dig deep into the issues, and to hold the powerful accountable. At the same time, misinformation is pervasive on social media and even many mainstream news outlets, including deliberate attempts to spread false, biased, or incendiary stories. Asheville Watchdog is committed to truth, verifiable facts, transparency, science, and important context. We do not compete with existing media, but rather try to complement and expand the critical services they provide. Our reporting is offered without charge to Blue Ridge Public Radio, Mountain Xpress, and other local publications. Asheville Watchdog is, for now, a virtual newsroom. For general inquiries, email [email protected].
