Launching a newsroom is a leap of faith.
For months, we’ve been planning, listening, reporting and building, often out of view, but always with intention.
We’ve talked with residents, dug into public records, shaped coverage and built a newsroom designed to serve this city well.
Today, that work becomes public, and I’m proud to welcome you to Austin Current.
Austin has always been a city that asks a lot of questions. Why is this happening? Who decided that? How does this affect my neighborhood, my kids’ school, my commute, my rent? Those questions feel especially urgent now, in a city changing faster than most of us can keep up with. Growth is everywhere. So are complicated decisions, competing priorities and real consequences for people trying to thrive here.
Austin Current exists to help make sense of all of it.
We are a nonprofit newsroom built to deliver explanatory, contextual and unbiased journalism; it’s reporting that doesn’t just tell you what happened, but also explains why it matters and who it affects.
We believe journalism should be useful. Human. Clear. Grounded in facts and fairness. And deeply connected to the people it serves.
What you’ll notice right away is we’re creating something a little different. We don’t talk past our readers. We don’t assume everyone has the time to decode bureaucratic language or political theater. Instead, we slow things down when needed, break complex issues into plain language and center the real-life impacts of decisions made in boardrooms and council chambers.
Our reporting focuses on three core areas that shape daily life in Austin:
Education – Our education coverage helps families, educators, students and taxpayers understand what’s happening inside Austin ISD and beyond, including why decisions are being made, how money is being spent and what it means for student outcomes. We’ll explain complicated policies, investigate systems that aren’t working and ensure the voices of students, parents and educators are reflected.
Government – Local government decisions touch nearly everything, from housing and transportation to public safety, taxes and basic city services. Yet many residents feel locked out of these processes. We translate and scrutinize how City Hall, Travis County and other institutions work, giving residents the context they need to participate and push for change.
Growth & Development – Austin’s rapid growth has reshaped neighborhoods, strained infrastructure and tested the city’s values. Our coverage looks beyond cranes and zoning maps to focus on people, the renters, homeowners, workers, artists, small business owners and families navigating rising costs and constant change. We’ll ask hard questions about affordability, displacement, infrastructure and who benefits from growth, and who doesn’t.
Underlying all of this is a shared philosophy: journalism should meet people where they are. That means reporting across formats — stories, newsletters, explainers, video and radio — and being present in the community, listening as much as we publish. It also means never gatekeeping information that matters. Austin Current has no paywall, because access to essential local news shouldn’t depend on your ability to pay.
We’re also building this newsroom in collaboration, not competition. From day one, we’ve partnered with KUT News and Austin PBS because we believe serving the public is bigger than any single outlet. Through projects like Austin Signal and Austin Insight, we’re working together to extend the reach and impact of this reporting across Austin.
That collaborative spirit is intentional. It reflects how seriously we take our responsibility to this city.
This is just the beginning. We’ll grow in public, learn as we go and keep listening. My hope is you’ll see yourself, your questions and your city reflected in our work, and that Austin Current becomes a resource you rely on and a newsroom you trust.
Thank you for being here on day one. We’re glad you found us.
