Raw Story is an independent news website that was founded in 2004 by John Byrne. Byrne had previously worked as a freelance journalist and editor for various outlets before deciding to launch his own progressive news site. The goal was to provide an alternative source of news and analysis that countered more mainstream outlets, which Byrne felt were increasingly dominated by conservative perspectives.
When was Raw Story founded?
Raw Story was founded in 2004 by John Byrne, who serves as the publisher and editor-in-chief. Byrne had previously worked as a freelance writer and editor for publications like The Boston Globe and the Chicago Tribune before deciding to launch his own independent progressive news site.
The timing of Raw Story’s launch came during the presidency of George W. Bush, when Byrne felt that too much of the mainstream news media was providing uncritical coverage of the Bush administration and its policies. This inspired Byrne to create a site that would provide more progressive-leaning reporting and commentary to counter this perceived bias in the rest of the media landscape.
Who is the founder of Raw Story?
The founder of Raw Story is John Byrne. He serves as both the publisher and editor-in-chief of the site. Byrne hails from Boston and worked for nearly a decade as a freelance journalist and editor before deciding to launch Raw Story in 2004.
Prior to starting Raw Story, Byrne held positions writing for publications like The Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune, and Fast Company magazine. However, he became increasingly dissatisfied with the direction of mainstream corporate media, which he felt was providing uncritical coverage of conservatives like George W. Bush.
This inspired Byrne to start his own independent progressive publication that would act as an alternative to what he saw as the conservative-dominated reporting of other outlets. Under Byrne’s leadership, Raw Story aims to provide tough reporting and commentary from a factual, reality-based liberal perspective.
What is the background of John Byrne?
John Byrne, the founder and editor-in-chief of Raw Story, has an extensive background in journalism that prepared him well for launching an independent news site:
- Originally from Boston, Massachusetts
- Earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Johns Hopkins University in 1988
- Received a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University in 1989
- Worked as a reporter for The Boston Globe from 1989 to 1991
- Served as an editor at the Chicago Tribune from 1991 to 1996
- Worked as a freelance writer and editor from the mid-1990s up until founding Raw Story in 2004
- Wrote for publications like The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, and Fast Company as a freelancer
This strong foundation in journalism helped give Byrne the experience needed to successfully build and manage an independent progressive news site like Raw Story that provides an alternative to more mainstream sources.
What is the political lean of Raw Story?
Raw Story has a decidedly progressive or liberal political lean. The site was founded partly as a response to conservative-leaning mainstream outlets in order to provide news and analysis from a more left-wing perspective.
Specific aspects of Raw Story’s progressive political lean include:
- Highly critical in its reporting on Republican and conservative politicians
- Supportive of Democratic and progressive policies and politicians
- Advocates for issues like civil rights, labor unions, environmentalism, LGBTQ equality, abortion rights, healthcare reform, and progressive taxation
- Editorial and opinion pieces come from a left-of-center point of view
- Reads like an anti-conservative version of more right-leaning sites like Breitbart or The Daily Caller
So while Raw Story does aim to provide factual reporting, the site’s founder and editors clearly approach their journalism and analysis from an openly liberal-progressive ideological standpoint.
What is Raw Story’s reputation?
Raw Story has established itself as one of the leading independent progressive news sites since its founding in 2004. Here is some background on its reputation:
- Earned a loyal liberal readership as an alternative to mainstream outlets
- Known for investigative reporting and editorial style that skewers conservatives
- Critics see it as biased and overtly ideological in its coverage
- Supporters value its unapologetic progressive perspective
- Site traffic ranks it competitively among other digitally native progressive publications
- Regularly cited, quoted, and linked to by other alternative progressive news sites
Overall, Raw Story enjoys a solid reputation among its target audience of liberals seeking an alternative to more mainstream news sources. It has effectively carved out a left-wing counterpoint niche in the online news ecosystem.
What awards has Raw Story won?
In its nearly two decades of operation, Raw Story has won a number of awards and honors that recognize the impact of its reporting:
- Received an honorable mention for Online Journalism from the Online News Association in 2010
- Named one of the Top 25 Best Blogs of 2011 by Time magazine
- Won the Fifth Estate Award for Online Journalism from the National Press Club in 2012
- John Byrne was a finalist for Best Blogger from the Baltimore City Paper in 2017
- Won the Top Liberal Blog award from BlogNetNews in 2008 and every year from 2011 to 2015
These awards help validate Raw Story as a top digital media outlet on the left. The honors from within the industry, like those from the Online News Association and the National Press Club, show the site’s reporting is well-regarded particularly among fellow progressive journalists and outlets.
How does Raw Story fund itself?
As an independent digitally-native news publication, Raw Story relies on the following revenue streams to fund its operations:
- Advertising revenue – Display ads run on the site from various sponsors and partners
- Native advertising – “Promoted content” articles help offset costs
- Affiliate revenue – Gets a share of revenue for referrals to books, movies, and other products
- Reader contributions and donations – Voluntary subscriptions and tips from supporters
The advertising model is fairly typical for online publishers. But Raw Story also emphasizes community-supported funding from its loyal readership to help maintain its editorial independence and avoid relying too heavily on advertisers or outside investors.
Who are some notable people who have worked for Raw Story?
Some notable journalists, contributors, and editors who have worked for Raw Story over the years include:
- John Byrne – Founder, publisher, editor-in-chief
- Roxanne Cooper – Managing editor
- Eric W. Dolan – Former news editor, now at The Hill
- Arun Gupta – Founding editor, moved on to be a regular contributor at The Washington Post and The Guardian
- Muriel Kane – Former director of research
- Stephen C. Webster – Former senior editor, went on to various roles at Vice Media
- Megan Carpentier – Founding executive editor, later at The Guardian and The Atlantic
- Kase Wickman – Former editor, now at Media Matters for America
This list highlights some of the notable journalists and editors who got their start in progressive media at Raw Story before going on to positions at more mainstream outlets and publications.
What is Raw Story’s reach and impact?
Some key measures of Raw Story’s audience reach and impact since its founding in 2004:
- Over 32 million lifetime unique visitors to the site
- Around 3 million monthly unique visitors as of 2022
- Alexa global traffic ranking fluctuates between 15,000 to 30,000
- Over 650,000 followers combined on Facebook and Twitter
- Original reporting and commentary widely cited by other progressive outlets
- Content shared hundreds of thousands of times per month on social media
- Progressive counter-narratives reach liberal-leaning audience ignored by mainstream outlets
For an independent progressive publication, Raw Story has managed to build a respectable readership and level of influence within its target audience and the larger left-leaning news ecosystem both online and across social media.
Who are Raw Story’s competitors?
As a digitally native progressive publication, Raw Story occupies a similar niche as the following competitors:
- Common Dreams – Left-wing daily news site and activist hub
- Truthout – Progressive nonprofit newsroom
- AlterNet – Previously influential progressive site that shut down in 2018
- ThinkProgress – Popular site under the Center for American Progress
- The Intercept – Investigative journalism with progressive viewpoint
- Mother Jones – Long-running liberal magazine and site
There is fierce competition for readership and fundraising among these progressive digital media outlets. Raw Story differentiates itself through its hard-hitting reporting, provocative liberal commentary, and anti-conservative editorial voice.
Conclusion
In summary, Raw Story has emerged since 2004 as one of the leading independent progressive news sites. Founded by veteran journalist John Byrne as a response to perceived conservative bias in the mainstream media, Raw Story offers an unapologetically liberal alternative perspective. It produces original reporting and commentary with an ideological slant that appeals to its left-wing audience. Raw Story has managed to establish itself competitively alongside other digitally native progressive publications through its fearless reporting, incisive analysis, and unabashedly partisan voice.