Today is my last day as CityBeat’s editor-in-chief.
For nearly four years, I have been at the helm of a publication I’ve long admired. This job has completely changed my life — it introduced me to some of the best people I’ve ever known and pushed me to become a better journalist and citizen.
Since 1994, CityBeat has occupied a unique space in the media landscape as a truly independent publication — an alternative to the daily papers, with fantastic investigative reporting on underrepresented topics and essential coverage of the arts, culture, music, food and much more. As former editor-in-chief Maija Zummo said in her goodbye message when I took over her role, I was only able to run a thriving alt-weekly — in an era when alt-weeklies are shuttering left and right — thanks to the CityBeat staffers who came before me. They navigated the turbulent waters of the 2008 recession, the COVID-19 pandemic and countless other curveballs to keep CityBeat standing strong today.
Of course, as you likely know, things are a bit different now. Since I was hired in 2022, CityBeat ownership has changed hands three times. Most recently, in December, LINK Media acquired CityBeat, becoming the first local company to own CityBeat since its inception.
Though I faced plenty of challenges as editor-in-chief of a small publication, those hardships are outweighed by the important work I was able to do alongside my fellow staffers. This job has been the most rewarding experience of my life.
So why am I leaving if this has been so rewarding? First, I truly believe I’ve done everything I can to help secure CityBeat’s future. CityBeat is in far better shape than it was even a few months ago, and I have every confidence that LINK Media will preserve — and strengthen — CityBeat’s unique legacy. Second, I have accepted a position at the Dayton Daily News, which means I’ll be able to move back home and be closer to my family as I prepare to give birth to my first child.
It’s no secret that the media is struggling to cope with major challenges — from funding cuts to changing consumption habits to outright antagonism from the Trump administration. If I can ask one thing of our readers, it’s this: Stay engaged with local news and local politics. Many of us feel disconnected — from each other and from our communities — and, in my opinion, there is no better way back to civic life than paying attention to what’s happening where you live, work and play. Local news is one of the best antidotes to apathy.
Meghan Goth, an incredibly talented journalist and the executive editor of LINK nky, will take over my duties after today. She can be reached at mgoth@linknky.com.
Thank you for supporting CityBeat and local, independent journalism. Your support has truly changed my life for the better.