Dear Reader,
Vermont’s first case of the new coronavirus was announced on March 7. Less than a week later, our newsroom became a remote operation dedicated to keeping Vermont informed and connected during these painful and uncertain times.
The surge in readership during the past six weeks has been humbling. We are incredibly grateful to our readers for the notes of encouragement and member support that we have received. Thank you for helping us meet this once-in-a-lifetime challenge.
As the managing editor of VTDigger’s newsroom, I wanted to give you a personal update of how our newsroom has adapted to these times to best serve you, our readers.
We are publishing more stories than ever because readers need to know how this pandemic will impact their lives, and the lives of loved ones, friends and colleagues.
Our newsroom is mostly operating remotely, though we continue to strategically send reporters and photographers into the field. Our beat reporters are now covering the emerging Covid-19 concerns around business, education, health care, politics and criminal justice.
We have also pulled together a team of five reporters — Katie Jickling, Erin Petenko, Alan Keays, Elizabeth Gribkoff and Anne Wallace Allen — focused on the impact of the coronavirus on Vermont’s health care and economic support systems.
While death and damage is often at the center of our reporting these days, we are also collecting stories of hope and determination from across the state, and stories about the people who have lost their lives to the coronavirus.
Last week we launched The Bright Side, an ongoing series of stories about Vermonters stepping up amid the coronavirus. And this week we are rolling out a project collecting remembrances of those Vermonters who have died from the coronavirus.
We also launched a FAQ Knowledge Base, a searchable and evolving resource for reader questions about the coronavirus in Vermont. The FAQ database features responses from experts about the pandemic, unemployment benefits and the impact on businesses.
Our daily coronavirus newsletter has more than 7,000 subscribers, and we had more than a quarter of a million views in the past month on a live update page with Covid news.
We are regularly updating our “How you can help” page, with information on volunteering and charity opportunities.
Perhaps most importantly, we are listening to the questions and concerns coming from our readers, and finding answers.
The lifeblood of our newsroom is the information and tips coming from our sources and readers, including dozens of emails a day to our coronavirus@vtdigger.org account. Please keep them coming.
VTDigger, like other newsrooms and nonprofits, is reckoning with the financial impact of the coronavirus. More than ever, we are depending on the support of our readers to continue bringing you the quality reporting that all Vermonters deserve.
Any little bit helps keep VTDigger accessible to all. From now until April 30, we are partnering with Vermont Glove to send a cloth mask to an area hospital for each person who becomes a member of VTDigger at any level.
Thank you for being a part of our news community. We are working hard to serve you during these challenging times.
Sincerely,
Colin Meyn
Managing Editor, VTDigger
