Not specifically Columbia Heights-related, but good news for anyone interested in local news: DCist, the long-running news site that was shut down last year by its new owner, is back! WAMU, a local NPR station, bought the site and rehired the previous editors and much of the staff.
The site covers local news, music, arts, local politics, transportation and a lot more, including the weekly Overheard in D.C. column. (Yours truly has written Overheard since 2007, which DCist started running in 2006.)
The closing in November came as a shock to everyone, and happened after New York staff voted to unionize (the parent company, Gothamist, owned a number of local news sites.) The billionaire former owner who closed it, Joe Ricketts, is famously anti-union and basically shut down the entire network to spite them.
If you’ve read DCist before, you’re probably pretty happy, and if you haven’t, it’s definitely worth a look. I basically used to have it open all day to see what’s new.
If you want to celebrate with staff and friends of the site, there’s also an opening party on June 14. They also have a Kickstarter to help it get going.
Here’s more info!
DCist to Relaunch Local News Site on June 11
After purchase by WAMU, DCist will begin publishing new content, celebrated with a launch party and aided by a Kickstarter campaign.
Three months after WAMU announced the acquisition of beloved neighborhood news site DCist, the station reports that the site will resume publishing content on Monday, June 11 at DCist.com. DCist will continue its tradition of reporting on local District news with the same witty, unique voice it has had since its inception.
“WAMU is thrilled to continue to invest in the local community, and we look forward to giving DCist the resources it needs to produce its distinctive, energetic content,” said Andi McDaniel, WAMU’s senior director of content and news. “It will be the same DCist the community knows and loves, now with new ownership and a wealth of resources at its fingertips.”
WAMU and DCist will host a launch party to celebrate DCist’s return, which will feature an interactive art experience, DJs, food trucks, games and more. The party is set for Thursday, June 14 from 6:30-11:00 p.m. at the Blind Whino art space in Southwest D.C. Tickets are on sale at www.wamu.org/events and are $20 each. Attendees must be 21 years old or older.
“We are committed to connecting our vibrant community here in D.C.,” said Rachel Sadon, DCist editor-in-chief. “In a region that often gets overshadowed by national news, DCist will help fill the essential need for local journalism, and we look forward to hearing feedback from readers as to how we can best serve our community.”
Want to get involved? WAMU launched a Kickstarter campaign to help sustain DCist as an online news outlet and to help bring in freelancers and contributors on a regular basis. The goal is to reach $75,000 between May 22 and June 22. To learn more, visit www.wamu.org/kickstarter.
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About WAMU
WAMU 88.5 is the NPR station in the nation’s capital and Washington’s source for local and national news, podcasts and smart, thoughtful programming. WAMU produces the nationally acclaimed program 1A, the daily local talk show The Kojo Nnamdi Show, the Diane Rehm: On My Mind podcast and award-winning regional news that spans topics from race and power to business and the arts. WAMU is member-supported, professionally staffed and licensed to American University. Founded in 1961, WAMU reaches an audience of nearly one million listeners on-air, online, and on demand. Learn more about WAMU or listen live atwww.wamu.org.
