The Maine Trust for Local News has released its first-ever Impact Report. 

The 30-page report, which covers journalism and initiatives throughout the 2024 calendar year, aims to showcase some of the most significant work of Maine Trust journalists in providing coverage that has had positive impacts on communities and the state. 

The Maine Trust owns the Portland Press Herald, the Sun Journal in Lewiston, Kennebec Journal in Augusta and Morning Sentinel in Waterville, and community publications in western and southern Maine.

“Through our efforts, we celebrate local identities, amplify solutions to problems, enhance understanding with fact-based reporting, and hold those in power accountable for the betterment of all,” Stefanie Manning, managing director for the Maine Trust for Local News, writes in an opening letter to the report. “At the heart of this mission we focus on the stories that define the unique character of Maine’s towns and cities. By highlighting local traditions, people, and cultures, we help foster a deeper connection to the places where Mainers live and work. 

“We highlight innovative approaches to local challenges and share everyday moments that bring communities together,” Manning continues. “We aim to inspire hope and action.” 

Selected examples of that impact journalism include: coverage of the Lisbon School Department suspending its football coaches and team activities following a police investigation into an alleged hazing incident; an analysis finding that lawmakers were increasingly using placeholder bills with vague titles for significant pieces of legislation, reducing transparency and trust in government; and in-depth reporting over many months that shone a light on a couple who struggled with homelessness and illness, living in a van and at hotels while they searched for a home. 

“In ways large and small, our daily work matters,” Carolyn Fox, executive editor of the Maine Trust, and Scott Monroe, the Trust’s managing editor, write in a letter included in the report. “At its best, our journalism can be a powerful force for good in our communities and across Maine.” 

In addition to featured stories, the Impact Report also includes a display of the trust’s best photojournalism in 2024, as well as noteworthy awards, digital and audience metrics and other projects. The report also highlights the trust’s commitment to covering local communities, including through new digital products such as newsletters. Six new “Now” newsletters newsletters focused on specific communities — Falmouth Now, Westbrook Gorham Now, Cumberland-Yarmouth Now, Lakes Region Now, Biddeford-Saco Now, Kennebunk Now — were launched earlier this year in southern Maine, for example, with new ePaper editions serving each of those regions. 

Read the full Impact Report here.