Since launching on Jan. 12, Austin Current has set out to do something straightforward and urgent: help Austinites make sense of a fast-changing city through independent, explanatory journalism that is clear, consequential and worth your time.
In our first 100 days, that approach is already producing results.
After our examination of the Long Center’s oversight of city arts funding, Austin officials initiated a review of the $25 million contract, ultimately auditing the program and making changes. Our coverage showed how a City Council effort to preserve park land could also affect Austin ISD’s ability to sell school properties, helping people understand what’s at risk and why it matters. And our reporting of Tesla’s surge in water use brought to light new concerns about how water limits are applied, as residents are urged to conserve water while large industrial users expand.
Our collaborative reporting with partners including KUT, Austin PBS and The Texas Tribune has also expanded both the depth and reach of our work, allowing us to deliver more original, high-impact journalism than any one newsroom could alone.
Just as important is what you think about what you have read here. Readers have praised our reporting as “real journalism,” and underscored a simple truth: “Local journalism matters.” That feedback reflects a core goal from Day One: Not just to publish stories, but to produce news that resonates, informs and drives understanding.
That mission is also why readers are stepping up to support the work. Donors have told us Austin needs stronger in-depth reporting, independent local journalism and a trusted source that can cut through complexity. Their support is helping us get started, and you can join us by becoming an Austin Current member today.
Austin Current is still new. But the early momentum is clear. Together, we are building a newsroom designed to explain, to hold power accountable and to connect the people of Austin more directly to the decisions shaping their lives.
As always, thanks for reading,
Melissa B. Taboada
Editor-in-chief
Impact at a Glance
- Prompted city review of $25M arts contract
- Informed City Council action on parkland
- Covered school changes affecting thousands of families
- Partnered with KUT, Austin PBS and The Texas Tribune
- Built a donor-supported local newsroom
How We’re Reporting Differently
Reporting That Drives Change
Our work is designed to surface systemic issues, not just isolated problems. That approach has already prompted audits, policy reviews and enforcement actions across Austin.
“Beautiful, raw and rich in detail.”
What our readers are saying
“Very moving.”
“Nice to have some real journalism still around.”
As reporter Andrea Ball found when examining the city’s arts funding contract, what began as a routine look quickly revealed “a system that required far more oversight than expected.” That scrutiny is intentional and central to our mission.
Explaining Complex Systems
Austin’s biggest challenges are often buried in process, policy and technical language. We focus on breaking those down in ways that are clear, relevant and actionable.
That means looking beyond individual incidents to understand the underlying forces. As Ball noted, examining “the forces at play” can lead to changes that affect far more people than a single case.
Centering Community Voices
Our reporting starts with the people most affected. From students and families navigating school changes to residents grappling with growth and displacement, those voices shape our coverage.
“Local journalism matters.”
More from our readers
“Important story.”
“Thank you for your reporting.”
Reporter Acacia Coronado has focused on building trust with families, helping “put a face and a name to an everyday issue,” while ensuring communities are part of the conversation.
Depth Over Speed
We prioritize depth, context and accountability over volume. That means giving reporters the time and space to dig deeper and follow stories beyond the daily cycle.
Reporter Sam Stark described it simply: the goal is to go “beyond what is going on any given day,” producing journalism that holds leaders accountable and helps readers understand what’s really at stake.
A Broader View of the City
Our work extends beyond City Hall, connecting policy decisions to how they play out across Austin’s communities.
For news editor Liz Pagano, that means getting into the community, listening and reporting on how decisions reverberate in daily life.
A Different Kind of Newsroom
- Public-facing, community-informed journalism
- Regular engagement with residents and civic leaders
- Donor-supported, mission-driven model
- Strategic partnerships expanding coverage capacity
Why it matters
The response from the community has reinforced why this work is needed.
“We need better in-depth news media in Austin and you’ve started that mission.”
Some of what we’ve heard from our donors
“I appreciate credible quality journalism!”
“We need the Austin Current.”
“I’ve lived here 20 years and love this city and appreciate this news!!”
“You’re giving me Austin news I don’t see anywhere else.”
Donors have told us Austin needs stronger in-depth reporting, independent local journalism and a newsroom that can clearly explain what is happening and why it matters.
That support is helping us build a trusted, go-to source for local news, one that prioritizes clarity, accountability and service to the community. In a city changing as quickly as Austin, access to reliable, contextual information is not optional. It is essential.
Support is fueling deeper, more accountable reporting.
The next 100 days
The first 100 days have established the foundation. The next phase is about going deeper.
We will continue to invest in explanatory reporting that helps readers understand complex systems, from city governance to education to growth and development.
We will expand our accountability work, focusing on the decisions, policies and institutions shaping Austin’s future.
We will strengthen our partnerships to produce more ambitious, collaborative journalism.
And we will continue building relationships across the community, ensuring our reporting reflects the people it serves and responds to what they need to know.
