2017MISSISSIPPI TODAY

ANNUAL REPORT

MISSISSIPPI

LETTER FROM OUR EDITORS

Journalism is a profession and a passion for us, and we are proud of the reporting we have produced in just our second year of operation.

Included in the pages of this annual report are some of what we saw as the highlights of our coverage in 2017. Our staff has grown this year, both in numbers and in our ability to

DIG DEEPER & REPORT FULLYon the most important stories in all areas of the state.

We have become known for the completeness of our legislative coverage. We were the first to tell readers about a number of legislative stories that had gone unreported elsewhere, and are the foremost newsroom for breaking news in the education and healthcare arenas.

Over the past year we have based reporters in the Delta and sent others to all corners of the state to stay on top of key issues. We think all of our stories help tell the full tale of our state and put what happens here in context.

And because this is Mississippi, we have sprinkled in articles about the culture – music, arts, dance, food and our sports scene.

We have been delighted to see many of our stories re-tweeted and shared on Facebook and other social media platforms by fellow journalists, readers and followers both in state and across the nation. Indeed, one of the real highlights for us has been the continued steady growth of readers and supporters like you.

We have plans to keep growing in many ways in 2018. We hope you will join us on that journey.

— FRED ANKLAM JR. and DENNIS MOORE, CO-EDITORS

The only NONPARTISAN, NONPROFIT

digital news source in the state

DENNIS MOORECO-EDITOR

FRED ANKLAMCO-EDITOR

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PAST YEAR

IMPACTMississippi Today provides balanced and aggressive journalism, with a primary mission of greater civic engagement. Here are some examples from 2017 of how our reporting had direct impact:

• Mississippi Today’s story about a lawmaker’s refusal to take up a proposal adding domestic violence as a grounds for divorce in the state led to public outcry. Following widespread criticism, the Mississippi Legislature sought an alternative solution, which involved amending a separate bill to make it easier for domestic violence victims to leave their spouse.

• Mississippi Today’s revelation of a little-known bill that would abolish the Mississippi Arts Commission created a firestorm of local activism supporting the granting and service agency. Several activist groups formed, including SAVE MAC. Continued coverage by Mississippi Today led to the bill’s death one week after the story was reported on our site.

• Our investigation into critical funding shortages at the state medical examiner’s office generated an editorial and prompted a follow-up report in the Sun Herald (the latter of which credited our story) and spurred other outlets to do similar stories. As a result, lawmakers are expected to address the problem in the 2018 legislative session.

• Mississippi Today reporters broke the state’s first story of sexual harassment by a lawmaker, obtaining background information from the Speaker of the House.

• The Mississippi Today series on millennial brain drain was heralded by business leaders, public officials and educators. Mississippi Today moderate a panel discussion on the topic in collaboration with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Business Council. A public forum on the topic was held in conjunction with Millsaps College.

STRENGTHENING OUR TEAMMississippi Today continued efforts to develop a sustainable business model in the ever-changing landscape of journalism. The addition of managing editor Harvey Parson, web editor Lauchlin Fields, reporters Kayleigh Skinner, Aallyah Wright, Kelsey Davis and Alex Rozier (former intern) were boons to the editorial team. On the business side, Mississippi Today expanded with the appointment of marketing & branding director Mary Margaret White.

TRAINING FUTURE JOURNALISTS Our growing newsroom is an opportunity for students to gain firsthand experience. In 2017, two interns worked for Mississippi Today, providing support in reporting, social media and data visualization. Our editors and reporters served as guest lecturers at Northwestern University, University of Mississippi, Belhaven University, Millsaps College, Jackson State University, Tougaloo College and University of Southern Mississippi.

SERVING PARTNER NEWSROOMS Mississippi Today content continues to fill the gap in watchdog reporting across the state. Our news stories were distributed to a number of in-state publications and news sites, and partnerships with NBC News, The Washington Post, The Center for Investigative Reporting, Report for America and Mississippi Public Broadcasting helped grow our reach. Our reporters and editors presented at The Paley Center for Media in New York, appeared on National Public Radio and were featured at meetings of the National Association of Black Journalists, National Alliance of Mental Illness, and Mississippi State Personnel Board.

FUNDRAISING Mississippi Today expanded its fundraising efforts in 2017 with the addition of Corporate Sponsorship opportunities, and exclusive event underwriting. Continued foundation funding helps move our mission forward, with sustaining support from the Ford Foundation, Pittman Family Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation. New outreach and funding strategies for individual donors are currently in development.

INVESTIGATIONS & SERIES

HEALTH CARE IN THE HOSPITALITY STATE

Mississippi Today took a deeper look at health care statewide, with a special focus on rural areas. Our series on the effort by local supervisors in Oktibbeha County to sell the sole local hospital brought statewide attention to the importance of maintaining community medical facilities. Subsequently, after a contentious campaign, voters in a referendum resolved to keep OCH Medical Center in county hands.

TAX CUTS AND THE BOTTOM LINE

A Mississippi Today investigation of the impacts of Mississippi’s largest ever tax cut shed light on the nuances of the bill. Our reports on the failure of a similar program in Kansas paired with the feedback of independent economists provided facts about the impacts the cuts would have on the state budget.

MULTIMEDIA: SCHOOL DESEGREGATION

In Fall 2017, Mississippi Today launched its inaugural multimedia project “Behind the Headlines,” featuring students, residents and administrators of the newly formed Cleveland Central High School and their reactions – in their own words—to the federally mandated school desegregation. The project incorporates documentary style photography and video interviews, and links to the ongoing series of reports about the desegregation process.

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MISSISSIPPI

FUNDING & THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION

Reporters wrote multiple stories on school funding in Mississippi, and provided an in-depth look at the development of charter schools around the state. We probed into the Mississippi Department of Education’s contracting procedures and helped readers navigate the landscape of an unprecedented partnership carving a new trajectory for the Jackson Public School system.

SPORTS STORIES

Mississippi Today’s sports section serves as the state’s premier destination for stories behind the games, players and coaches. Sports columnist Rick Cleveland was inducted to into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame August 2017 and was honored as Mississippi Sports Writer of the Year for the 10th time by the National Sports Media Foundation. His series on brain injuries in football, specifically chronic traumatic encephalopathy (C.T.E.) victims from Mississippi, included interviews with family members and follow-up reports on the disease.

DATA CENTER

In 2017, Mississippi Today Data launched to give readers easy access to critical public information that the ordinary citizen likely has difficulty tracking down. #MSTodayData is includes county-by-county searchable databases on the salaries of state officials, population change, income, unemployment and other information. The data page is regularly updated to reflect changes in statistical information.

ULTIMATE MISSISSIPPI PLAYLIST

A year-long bicentennial project, the Ultimate Mississippi Playlist features 25 songs ranging from classic to contemporary. Readers voted bi-monthly on their favorite Mississippi tunes, creating an interactive forum for discussion on both our site and social media. The final playlist debuted on Mississippi Public Broadcasting Radio as a special edition of Next Stop Mississippi.

MISSISSIPPI TODAYEVENTS

Mississippi Today hosted six public events in 2017. These programs ranged from meet & greet receptions with readers and reporters, to in-depth discussions with prominent newsmakers. Panel forums were moderated by Mississippi Today staff, and focused on a variety of issues including education, charter schools, brain drain and politics.

GULF COAST MEET & GREET

ENGAGING AND INFORMING

Utilizing the power of the digital landscape and the widespread use of social media, Mississippi Today connects citizens with elected officials, reporters and subject matter experts by livestreaming all of our events. While we value in-person programming, we know it isn’t feasible for all Mississippians to be in the room. Through livestreaming panel discussions, town hall meetings and historic moments like the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Museum of Mississippi History, more Mississippians are able to engage with the news in real time through their mobile devices and computers. In 2017 alone, Mississippi Today’s Twitter followers grew by 65 percent, and our Facebook likes now exceed 10,000.

MISSISSIPPI

LIVE STREAM

CHARTER SCHOOL EVENTS

POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS

BRAIN DRAIN PANEL

DONORS

2016 to Current

Jim and Cynthia Abbott

Reuben V. Anderson

Cissy and Fred Anklam Jr.

APAC – Mississippi, Inc.

Haley and Marsha Barbour

Jim and Donna Barksdale

Helen and Walter Boone

Butler Snow LLP

William and Hope Bynum

Nancy and Roy Campbell

Capitol Street, LLC

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Carl, Jr.

James K. Child, Jr.

Lance and Emily Conn

Toni Cooley

Meredith and Jimmy Creekmore

Walter M. Denny, Jr.

Stephen Edds

Jan Farrington

Ford Foundation

Louise and Tom Gresham

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew L. Holleman III

Institute of International Education

Paul and Lucy Janoush

Jay and Deanie Stein Foundation Trust

John N. Palmer Foundation, Inc.

John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Elta and Jim Johnston

Andrew Lack

Archie and Olivia Manning

Margaret McMullan and Pat O’Connor

Bill and Draughon McPherson

Jean and Tim Medley

Millsaps College

Mississippi Hospital Association

Dick Molpus

Lesly Gaynor Murray

Don and Emily Newcomb

Will and Susan Norton, Jr.

Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics

Charles and Andrea Overby

Lisa Percy

Crymes Pittman

Pittman Family Foundation

Mandy and Cullam Pope

Carol T. Puckett

Jack Reed, Jr.

Steve and Debby Renfroe

Robert R. McCormick Foundation

Nan and Mike Sanders

Kathy and Joe Sanderson

Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Scruggs

Vicki Slater

Seetha and Asoka Srinivasan

Tenax Aerospace

Suzan and J. H. Thames, Jr. Family Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson

Tradition, A Master Planned Community

The University of Mississippi Foundation – The Meek School of Journalism and New Media

Van Devender Family Foundation

Walton Family Foundation

The Winokur Family Foundation

William and Elise Winter

Yates Construction

2015Jim and Donna Barksdale

Ford Foundation

John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Andrew Lack

Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Scruggs

MISSISSIPPI TODAYSTAFF

HARVEY PARSONMANAGING EDITOR

RYAN NAVENEWS EDITOR

LAUCHLIN FIELDSWEB EDITOR

KENDRA ABLAZAREPORTER

LARRISON CAMPBELLREPORTER

KELSEY DAVISREPORTER

ADAM GANUCHEAUREPORTER

SEREENA HENDERSONSOCIAL MEDIA

KATE ROYALSREPORTER

KAYLEIGH SKINNERREPORTER

AALLYAH WRIGHTREPORTER

MANDY POPECHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

MARY MARGARET WHITEMARKETING/BRANDING

ALEX ROZIERREPORTER

MISSISSIPPI TODAYBOARD

DONNA BARKSDALEEXECUTIVE CHAIR

ANDREW LACKFOUNDER JIM BARKSDALE

TIFFANY GRAVES TRAY HAIRSTON WILL NORTON

CHARLES OVERBY TOM PITTMAN SEETHA SRINIVASAN

RICK CLEVELANDSPORTS COLUMNIST