Dear ____,

A framed copy of an editorial from the first issue of The Chicago Reporter rests on my desk a
reminder of why Im here.
Of all the challenges facing Chicago, race is the make or break issue of the 1970s. Race touches
everybody and everything, co-editors John A. McDermott and Lillian Calhoun wrote in July 1972.
Racial peace and progress are more than moral ideals today. They are matters of profound self-interest
to every person and institution in this community.
Some 43 years later, we could say the same about the importance of race in Chicago and the nation
for that matter. Today, hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter capture the urgency of addressing the
persistent color lines that breed racial inequality. The potential for the Reporters work to reach new
audiences has never been greater. We want to be part of an online conversation that is changing the
national conversation about race.
How we get news has changed dramatically since 1972 when McDermott and Calhoun published that
first issue. The three major TV networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) have given way to an alphabet soup of
cable and broadcast networks, while newspapers and other traditional media outlets continue to adapt
to a digital landscape where information is created and consumed 24-7.
So we have decided to end the quarterly publication of The Chicago Reporter and focus our work online,
where we can reach wider audiences and have a greater impact while staying true to our mission. And,
yes, we will continue to produce the long-form investigations youve come to expect from us. (In fact, if
you havent visited our website regularly, youve missed some important investigations.)
Well produce an annual issue of the Reporter highlighting our best investigations from the year and a
few new features interviews, essays, book reviews. And well email you a PDF of a top investigation
every quarter until your subscription ends.
The platform may have shifted from print to the Web, but the mission has stayed the same. The
editorial in that first issue of the Reporter still inspires our work:
The Reporter will dig beneath the surface of local racial news because the issues of the 70s are more
hidden and complex. The special problem of the 70s is racial inequality, the deep disparities in the
condition and quality of life which separate the races and which are the legacy of generations of
injustice.
We hope we can continue to rely on your support as we transition to the digital age.
In celebration of the Reporters past and its future, were hosting a reception on the evening of Oct. 8.
Look for an invitation in the mail.
Sincerely,