THE’RE BACK

Gothamist, DCist, and LAist Bought by Public Radio Partnership

Local news sites coming back thanks to two large anonymous donors.

Three public-radio stations have bought the sites, archives, and social-media assets of the Gothamist, LAist, and DCist news websites. In an effort that was “largely funded by two anonymous donors,” WNYC of New York, KPCC of Pasadena, California, and WAMU of Washington, D.C. have acquired the respective local-news outlets. “As we’ve seen a decline in local journalism in even the largest metropolitan areas across the country, even at a time when it’s so vital, we remain committed to strong, independent reporting that fills the void,” New York Public Radio President and CEO Laura Walker stated in a release. This buy is part of a larger effort to “expand their digital footprints and further their missions to serve local audiences.” Gothamist and its sister sites were abruptly shut down without warning and archives made unavailable by previous owner and TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts after the news site voted to unionize.