For years, readers needed to pay in the event that they needed to learn the Solar-Occasions, whether or not in print or on our web site. However two years in the past, after the Solar-Occasions grew to become a nonprofit as a part of Chicago Public Media, we made it free for everybody to entry all of our tales on-line.
It was a danger: Would we be capable of help ourselves and not using a paywall? We’re actually nonetheless studying the reply.
However our mission is to tell as many Chicago-area residents as we will so everybody can absolutely take part in — and profit from — our communities. It’s not about us, it’s about Chicago. We consider that we’d like as many brains and views as doable to assist our area thrive. And if solely individuals who can afford to pay can get correct info, that additional disadvantages those that may have it most — and makes it extra doubtless that extra individuals will obtain misinformation and disinformation as a substitute of the reality.
So we determined to go for it.
We’re so grateful to the hundreds of readers who’ve stepped up over the previous two years to help this work, to put money into retaining the Chicago space knowledgeable. Because of your help, in that point we’ve been in a position to publish hundreds of tales that each one neighborhood members can entry for gratis.
Amongst these are so many examples of authentic, impactful journalism that I had hassle narrowing this checklist all the way down to a manageable measurement – it might simply have been 5 occasions as lengthy! However as a reminder or in case you missed it, listed here are only a few examples of tales which have:
Held officers accountable
Examined systemic inequities
Knowledgeable voters
Protected shoppers and taxpayers
That is solely a small a part of what we’ve been in a position to do along with your help and, simply as importantly, along with your enter in serving to us form the information. Thanks a lot to your partnership and for retaining yourselves knowledgeable!
In case you consider native information and data — created by, for and about individuals who dwell right here — is necessary and wish to maintain it free for everybody, and in case you have the means to take action, I hope you’ll contemplate making a donation to commemorate this anniversary at suntimes.com/help. If a donation isn’t doable, please contemplate sharing this text with others to assist unfold the phrase about what we’re doing.
