Jo Easton is the director of development at the BDN, where she oversees fundraising and other efforts to further its mission.
Writing the Bangor Daily News impact report is, hands down, one of the best parts of my job. Whenever editors learn our reporting has been used by policymakers as they prepare legislation, or in testimony at the State House, or when reporters or editors hear directly from sources or people affected by an issue we covered, I add a note to our impact file — it’s an always-open tab in my browser. Every spring I get to look through all the notes, looking for patterns from the prior year.
We’re incredibly proud of the difference our journalism makes in Maine life, and as you can see in the just-released report, we had a lot to choose from.
Journalism often leads to quick results — like when our story about helping kids stay out of the justice system inspired legal professionals in Aroostook County to explore similar action. Other times, the impact takes years — such as the changes happening in how the Maine Army National Guard handles sexual assault and harassment, following our 2021 investigation and subsequent efforts of reformers.
Sometimes, impact isn’t what we expect — like a Maine nonprofit naming an award after BDN investigative editor Erin Rhoda in honor of her body of work, or developing partnerships such as the one we recently announced with The Maine Monitor to create a collaborative investigative team. We can’t wait to see what comes from that exciting new project a year from now!
Reader support helps to make results like this possible. Today marks the start of our spring fundraising campaign, and we need to raise $40,000 to sustain this work. We invite all BDN readers who value the role of the BDN in Maine life to consider a tax-deductible gift at donate.bangordailynews.com.
All contributions from BDN readers go into a fund managed by our fiscal sponsor, Eastern Maine Development Corporation. This fund helps cover the costs of our journalism, like reporter salaries, public records fees, and travel to report stories — so we can keep bringing you the reporting that matters to Maine.
To learn more about these methods you can visit bangordailynews.com/support or email us at [email protected].
A closing thought: On the Bangor Daily News’ first day in print, June 18 1889, the editors proclaimed that “the NEWS will be independent and fearless” and “here for the measureless future.” With the support of our readers, I know that will be true in Maine for years to come.
Thank you.
