A bold new Raw Story is here — as independent media has never been more vital

If you're reading this, you've noticed something different about Raw Story today.

We have a new look.

A completely redesigned website went live early this morning. It's cleaner and easier to navigate, and it's built to put our journalism front and center.

But the most important changes at Raw Story aren't the ones you can see on your screen.

They're happening in our newsroom.

At a time when news organizations across the country are cutting staff, eliminating reporting positions, and scaling back coverage, Raw Story is doing something different.

We're investing in more journalism.

And we're able to do it because of you.

For 22 years, Raw Story has operated as an independent news organization, without a billionaire owner or a corporate board dictating our editorial priorities. We've built an audience of approximately 7 million monthly users and a community of 30,000 paying subscribers who believe independent journalism is worth supporting.

That support is allowing us to expand our investigative reporting at a moment when accountability journalism has never been more important.

As editor-in-chief, one of the most rewarding parts of my job is working with the journalists who dig beneath the headlines, follow the money, examine public records, and ask questions that powerful people do not want answered.

Our investigative team now includes Kathleen Culliton, Alexandria Jacobson, and Jordan Green, with Matt Laslo providing reporting from Capitol Hill.

These journalists are doing the kind of work that takes time, persistence, and resources. They pursue stories beyond the daily news cycle, scrutinize the people and institutions that shape our lives, and work to uncover information the public deserves to know.

It's the kind of reporting that can't always be measured by how many clicks a headline generates.

And it's exactly the kind of journalism we believe is worth investing in.

Putting our original reporting front and center

One of the changes I'm most excited about is something you'll notice right at the top of our new homepage.

We've introduced a dedicated Top Story section designed to showcase Raw Story's most important exclusive reporting, with a particular emphasis on the investigative work our team produces.

For years, Raw Story has been known for delivering breaking political news and keeping readers informed about the stories shaping Washington and the country. That coverage remains an essential part of what we do.

But we're also producing original investigations and exclusive reporting that deserve to stand out from the constant churn of the news cycle.

Our new Top Story section gives that work a prominent home.

When our reporters uncover something significant, we want readers to see it. We want those stories to have the visibility they deserve, whether they're exposing wrongdoing, revealing previously unreported information, or providing deeper accountability reporting on the people in power.

And as we continue investing in investigative reporting, you'll see more of that work featured prominently on Raw Story.

Built for this moment

Our new website launches just three weeks before the midterm elections.

That timing matters.

The decisions being made in Washington, in statehouses, and behind closed doors will have consequences long after Election Day. Voters deserve journalism that goes beyond political talking points, campaign spin, and the outrage of the moment.

They deserve reporting that asks difficult questions, checks the facts, and holds public officials accountable, regardless of party.

That has always been Raw Story's mission.

Our redesigned website is intended to make that journalism easier to find, read, and share. It gives our reporting a stronger home and creates a foundation for the ways we want to serve readers in the years ahead.

You'll notice a cleaner design, improved navigation, and a better reading experience across devices.

But a better website means little without meaningful journalism to fill it.

That's why I'm especially proud that this launch is accompanied by an investment in our reporting team.

Journalism worth supporting

Across the news industry, the financial pressures are real.

Advertising markets are unpredictable. Technology platforms have changed how audiences discover news. Newsrooms are being asked to do more with fewer resources.

Raw Story faces many of those same challenges.

But we've made a deliberate choice about our future.

We believe the best way forward is to build a stronger relationship with the people who value our journalism and to reinvest that support in the reporting that matters.

That doesn't mean every story will be easy to produce, every investigation will deliver a dramatic revelation, or every day will bring a blockbuster headline.

Good journalism takes work. Sometimes it takes weeks or months of research, interviews, document requests, fact-checking, and difficult editorial decisions before a story is ready to publish.

As the editor responsible for our investigative team, I see that work firsthand.

And I want our reporters to have the time, support, and editorial independence to do it well.

This is just the beginning

Today's launch isn't a finish line.

It's the beginning of the next chapter for Raw Story.

We'll continue strengthening our investigative reporting, expanding our coverage of the people and institutions shaping American politics, and finding better ways to bring that journalism to readers.

We'll also keep listening to you.

A website redesign is a significant change, especially for readers who visit us every day. We hope you'll explore the new site, discover stories you might have missed, and tell us what you think.

And while the design may be different, our commitment remains the same.

We will follow the facts. We will ask tough questions. We will hold powerful people accountable. And we will continue pursuing stories that deserve to be told.

None of this happens without the readers who believe in what we do.

To our subscribers and supporters: thank you for making these investments possible.

To our longtime readers: thank you for making Raw Story part of your daily routine.

And to anyone visiting for the first time: welcome.

We've built a new home for Raw Story. Now we're going to fill it with journalism that matters.