With the shuttering of the 239-year-old Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the weekly alternative Pittsburgh City Paper, the future of local journalism in the region is at a critical inflection point. This moment raises urgent questions not only about the survival of local news, but about its role in accountability, civic life, and democracy itself. As Nieman Lab asked: “Will Pittsburgh become America’s most important city without a newspaper?” This is a local crisis with national implications—and one that demands public engagement.
In response, Pittsburgh Tomorrow convened a special edition The Pittsburgh Tomorrow Intersection to discuss how best to fill the coming void. Accompanying the event was a public messaging campaign emphasizing the need for local journalism, proclaiming that “No news is bad news” on billboards across town.
Panelists included Pittsburgh Business Times publisher Evan Rosenberg, Trib Total Media editor Luis Fabregas, Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting CEO Terry O’Reilly, New Pittsburgh Courier Editor & Publisher Rod Doss, Public Source Managing Editor Halle Stockton, Jewish Chronicle Publisher Jim Busis, City Cast Pittsburgh host Megan Harris and Pittsburgh Media Partnership founder Andrew Conte. Allegheny County Executive Sarah Innamorato delivered opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of local journalism for a healthy democracy.
Pittsburgh Tomorrow’s founder and CEO Douglas Heuck moderated the discussion. A 20-year investigative reporter and editor at the Pittsburgh Press and Post-Gazette, Heuck launched Pittsburgh Quarterly in 2006 and founded Pittsburgh Tomorrow two years ago to reverse regional decline by reinvigorating the economy and civic spirit. Having reliable regional information is a key ingredient.
Typically, we have an 8-10 week timeline to produce events in this series. This one came together in just 2 short weeks, thanks to the partnership of the Senator John Heinz History Center and the sponsorship of United States Steel. Despite sub-zero temperatures on the day of the event, over 300 Pittsburghers showed up for The Intersection – underlining the importance of this moment for our city’s future.
Stay tuned for the next Intersection, and for more on local journalism as we come together to create solutions for a brighter future. If you missed the event, you can watch the recording below.
