This news site — which carries the same name as our print zine, coming soon — is small and plucky for now. But it can shout, and has much to say. Just like the Tenderloin itself.
Also like the Tenderloin: We’re unconventional.
We share control with our audience over what we publish — something quite unorthodox in the news industry.
But what does that mean? It means we ask neighborhood locals to tell us the topics we should report on, and then we report on them. Simple.
We also invite locals to write for us, so they can tell stories in their own words. We do that largely because it’s been one of the clearest requests from our audience when we’ve asked what kind of content they wanted; we’ve been here for months, listening and learning. We also plan to form a committee of people who live and work here to guide us on an ongoing basis.
This approach will set the Voice’s content apart from what you might find elsewhere. We’ll try to make our stories more personal, more nuanced, more detailed, while maintaining standards of fairness and accuracy. We’ll cover a wide range of topics, but we’ll probably leave breaking news to more established outlets that are already filling that niche. Despite what top search results and viral social media clips might imply, there’s more happening in the Tenderloin than crime and homelessness. Much, much more.
Does the Tenderloin touch your life? Got an idea for something we, or maybe you, should write about? Consider reaching out to us at hello@tlvoice.org. Profiles of neighborhood folk, short news dispatches, poetry, the untold story of a new restaurant or why that building is boarded up — we’re open to many types of pitches.
Why are we starting this newsroom?
Because the Tenderloin gets talked about a lot, but it rarely gets its say. We want to change that and help the community speak its truth.
Check back here for our latest about the Tenderloin. We’re still figuring out how frequently we’ll be publishing new content.
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I'm a journalist who has reported for years on San Francisco topics like homelessness, housing, and governance. I co-founded News Relay Network, publisher of the Tenderloin Voice, where I write and edit. Reach me at noah@tlvoice.org.
I have worked in local journalism for over ten years leading community engagement, operations, development, and co-founded News Relay Network, publisher of the Tenderloin Voice.
I'm a journalist who has covered San Francisco and the Bay Area in writing, audio and video for about a decade; started and hosted a few podcasts; and co-founded News Relay Network, publisher of the Tenderloin Voice. Reach me at laura@tlvoice.org.
