Dismal Freedom Press

Public Records. Public Power.

Dismal Freedom Press is an independent newsroom following public records, budgets, and civic decisions across California’s Central Valley and East Bay. We publish source documents beside our stories, track how public money moves, and offer right-of-reply before publication. Our work begins with the public record, not the rumor mill.

We were founded to give everyday residents direct access to the paperwork that shapes their cities, schools, neighborhoods, and opportunities. If it affects the people who live here, we follow the trail.

Our
Mission

We exist to make public information truly public.
Our newsroom values accuracy, clarity, dignity, and community power.
We aim to transform complex documents into usable knowledge. Without distortion, panic, or political spin.

Core Values

Integrity — We follow verifiable facts and uphold honesty in every report.
Accountability — We hold institutions and ourselves to consistent standards of transparency.
Community — Our reporting centers the people who live here and the issues affecting them.
Respect — Every person deserves dignity and fairness in how they are represented.
Service — We exist to inform, empower, and strengthen the communities we cover.
Gratitude — We honor the trust readers place in us and treat it as a responsibility.
Excellence — We pursue accuracy, depth, and clarity — bringing receipts, not rhetoric.

How We Report

Our Verification Process

Every story undergoes a documented three-step review:

1

Documented Evidence

We rely on verified public records, official data sources, and primary documents. This includes budgets, contracts, incident logs, emails, permits, regulatory filings, and other municipal records.

2

Direct Response

Anyone named or impacted in our reporting is offered a fair opportunity to comment before publication.

3

Community Impact Review

We assess whether the story informs the public, avoids distortion, and contributes to a clearer understanding of local issues.

We correct the record when needed and clearly label all datasets with their source, publication date, and limitations.

We publish the original documents alongside our reporting, allowing readers to review the information themselves. We do the work of collecting, organizing, and verifying records — and make them accessible for independent examination.

Editorial Independence

Dismal Freedom Press maintains full editorial independence.
Our journalism is guided only by public records, documented facts, and community relevance — not by funders, sponsors, government agencies, or private interests.

We do not allow:

Political contributions or actors to influence coverage
Sponsored content presented as journalism
Paid placements, ghostwritten articles, or undisclosed partnerships
Advertisers or donors to review or shape editorial coverage
External pressure from officials or organizations to determine what we publish

All editorial decisions are made solely by the Dismal Freedom Press newsroom.
Financial supporters are acknowledged when appropriate, but they hold no influence over our reporting, framing, or conclusions.

How We’re Funded

Our funding model is designed for transparency and independence:

• Reader Contributions — Paid subscriptions and voluntary donations from individual supporters.
• Investigative Grants — Competitive grants that support public-records and accountability journalism.
• Local Sponsorships — Limited sponsorships from small, community-based businesses that align with our mission.

We do not accept political funds, undisclosed advertising, or ghostwritten content.
We do not publish sponsored stories disguised as reporting.

Our work is funded by the people we serve — transparency is our only sponsor.