Bay City News Foundation serves the greater San Francisco Bay Area. We are backed by charitable donations from contributors who care about local news, a free press, democratic values and an informed citizenry. We target geographic and topical news deserts. We collaborate with other media. We experiment with technology. We work with journalism schools to train the next generation of reporters and provide paid internships for promising new journalists. Some of our stories get cross-published on the affiliated Bay City News regional newswire, reaching as many as 9 million people. Help us do more with a donation today.
How to contact the Local News Matters newsroom
24/7 Phone
(510) 251-8100
Mailing Address:
Bay City News Foundation
900 Hilldale Ave.
Berkeley CA 94708
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General Information
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BCNF Partners & Institutional Funders
Bay City News Foundation is grateful to our partners and institutional funders who have helped us grow and do impactful work. They include:
• Catchlight
• Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and INN (intern support)
• CUNY Newmark Journalism School (intern support)
• Dow Jones News Fund (intern support)
• Emma Bowen Foundation (intern support)
• Google News Initiative
• Hogan-Newton Fund (intern support)
• Institute for Nonprofit News
• JSK Journalism Fellowships at Stanford University
• John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism (intern support)
• Lenfest Institute for Journalism
• Miami Foundation (NewsMatch)
• Microsoft News
• PolicyLink
• Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship
• ProPublica Local
• Renaissance Journalism
• Report for America
• San Francisco Foundation
• Silicon Valley Community Foundation
• Solutions Journalism Network
• Starling Lab for Data Integrity
• USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism
• Wikimedia Foundation
The team behind Bay City News
Read about the reporters, interns, board members, and staff who are responsible for producing such important journalism.
In the News
Bay City News Foundation is proud of the work we do and we are honored that our peers in the local news industry recognize our efforts. Here we highlight some examples of our newsroom’s accomplishments, our incredible staff, new and ongoing projects, and some behind-the-scenes views of how we produce our journalism.
Using technology to better cover our communities
A modern newsroom exists beyond the walls of an office. Using the latest tools in data journalism, photo authentication, digital communication and beyond allows our staff to connect with sources and with each other to cover the crucial stories from where they are taking place. By being part of the communities we cover, we are better able to serve their needs and provide public service journalism that makes an impact.
Community Coverage
Data Journalism
Photo Authentication
Mobile Access
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who are you?
We are a dedicated group of professional journalists who care about quality news in the greater Bay Area. Veteran journalist Katherine Ann Rowlands serves as president of Bay City News and executive director of the nonprofit. On the news side, longtime reporter and editor Dan McMenamin serves as the managing editor, overseeing other editors who supervise daytime, overnight and weekend shifts plus a staff of about 25 reporters, editors, photographers, data journalists and web producers.
How can I learn more about your reporting staff?
To learn more about our staff, click the article bylines for author bios and an archive of their recent reporting.
How are you funded?
Bay City News Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, meaning we are primarily supported by charitable contributions from individuals and institutional partners. Our tax ID is 83-0654488. You can read more about our nonprofit on Guidestar here.
I want to support your work! What’s the best way to do that?
- Make a tax-deductible gift today to support local news.
- Get a slice of the Bay Area with our two weekly newsletters.
- Send us story ideas and feedback.
I have a story idea. Who can I send tips to?
We’d love to hear from you! Please send all tips to newsroom@baycitynews.com.
What is your fact-checking policy?
Reporters fact-check their own work. Editors check all stories for accuracy before publication. We correct our mistakes in a timely fashion. We name all sources and provide transparent coverage of communities. We make the newsroom contact information available for readers to call or email us with corrections, concerns, and tips.
Can I give you a quote on background without attribution?
No, while we sometimes use unnamed spokespeople in stories, the quotes and information must be attributable to an official entity or organization. In the interest of fairness and transparency, people deserve to know where the information we’re using comes from.
Can I see a copy of the story I’m quoted in before it’s published?
No, allowing sources to preview stories would be to grant them undue influence over our coverage. On rare occasions, a reporter may read a source’s quote back to them if the source feels like they might have been misquoted or misunderstood. That being said, if the quote is accurate, a source is not allowed to change what they said. Some, but not all, reporters will allow a source to give additional context or another quote in such a case.
How can I find the story I’m quoted in after it’s been published?
Please contact the reporter you were interviewed by to request a link to the story you were quoted in, they will be able to direct you to the appropriate link.
To stay up to date on the latest news stories as soon as they’re published, bookmark LocalNewsMatters.org and sign up for free weekly email newsletters.
I have a question that hasn’t been answered here – who can I ask?
Please email all newsroom-related questions and comments to newsroom@baycitynews.com.
A Note About Our Firewall:
Our organization retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. We will maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and sources of all revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions.
We accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support.
Our organization also may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but our organization maintains editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.
Our organization will make public all donors who give a total of $500 or more. We will accept anonymous donations for general support only if it is clear that sufficient safeguards have been put into place that the expenditure of that donation is made independently by our organization and in compliance with INN’s Membership Standards.