About the Comma Community Journalism Lab

Introduction

For more than 140 years, The Spokesman-Review has sustained our community through wars and world championships, recessions and renaissances, heartbreaks and happy endings. This family-owned newspaper has been the daily beacon of accountability, storytelling and connection across Eastern Washington and North Idaho for generations.

That kind of legacy doesn’t just continue on its own. It requires people — thoughtful, generous, community-minded people — who treasure local, independent journalism and who want to strengthen community news for the next 140 years. For our children. For our great grandchildren.

In April 2025 the Cowles family generously agreed to donate the Spokesman-Review to the people of Spokane. The Cowles also pledged a $2 million matching grant to support the Spokesman-Review’s transition to the ownership of the nonprofit Comma Community Journalism Lab.

Since then we’ve spread the word at book club talks, movie nights, house parties and student performances. We hold regular tours of the historic Spokesman-Review building, and introduced Comma at joyful celebrations of the Women of the Year and Difference Makers, who make Spokane better every day.

Reporter Elena Perry interviews students at Yasuhara Middle School for a story about local astronaut Anne McClain (Photo: Colin Mulvany)

Reporter Elena Perry interviews students at Yasuhara Middle School for a story about local astronaut Anne McClain (Photo: Colin Mulvany)

Local readers and business leaders have responded in a big way. Their donations have ranged from $5 to $1,000,000, an outpouring from a community determined to make The Spokesman-Review and Comma sustainable for future generations. This is what Community looks like, Spokane style. Comma is gearing up to start the transition to ownership of the Spokesman-Review in late 2026.

That’s not an ending. It’s just the beginning for community-supported local journalism.

The Plan

The Comma Community Journalism Lab will publish The Spokesman-Review as its flagship newspaper. The nonprofit has a “Teaching Hospital” mission and has forged partnerships with academic institutions across the region, including five universities and colleges and two local school districts, that go far beyond traditional internships. Students and teachers will be embedded in Comma - including supervised interaction and learning with journalists, operational staff and nonprofit leaders.

Comma operates Northwest Passages, The Spokesman-Review’s community engagement and live event series that brings thousands of readers together throughout the year. Comma supported the relaunch and incubation of The Black Lens from 2024 to 2026.

Based in Washington’s second-largest city, Comma is a 501c3 public charity and operates exclusively for the public benefit. There are no private shareholders. Comma is led by a dedicated board of directors that provides governance and financial oversight.

We believe the best way for a local news organization to remain trusted by - and answerable to - its community is by creating a vibrant and open dialogue with readers. That includes new ways of having our community directly involved in the checks and balances of our newsrooms’ journalism, through a new advisory council, open news meetings, random source and fact checks for stories and monthly meetings with readers.

Comma’s model was co-created and vigorously stress-tested by the Bridgespan Group, known for advising the world’s social change leaders. Each year Bridgespan selects just five community-based nonprofits that have come up with solutions to some of society’s most intractable problems. In 2024 Comma joined that select group and is the only media group besides National Public Radio (NPR) Bridgespan has taken on as a partner.

Bridgespan’s analysts found essential ingredients in Comma’s foundation – a hybrid local news model, strong academic partnerships, respected leadership and a highly engaged mid-sized community with deep philanthropic giving – to create a sustainable media ecosystem that could be replicated nationwide. Bridgespan has identified more than 20 other communities that are ideal candidates for the Comma model.

Our Values

These values are at the heart of our operations: how we deal with our readers, our donors, our community, ensuring that we create a viable news source for everyone. It’s not about the right. It’s not about the left. It’s about us.

  • Collaboration

    Diverse ideas, cross-functional teamwork, shared ownership of commitments. We argue clean, decide fast and carry the weight together. No silos. No “not my job.”

  • Integrity

    As a publisher, we support and foster rigorous, nonpartisan, fearless reporting, with ethical guardrails for AI and automated data collection. Earned trust, every day.

  • Voice

    Deep two-way relationships with readers, members, donors, students, team members and civic partners with broad representation across served communities. We show up, listen, and reflect the whole community.

  • Innovation

    Practical technology, design excellence and open-source playbooks. We build things that people actually use, and we share what works so others can move faster.

  • Culture

    A positive attitude that builds camaraderie and chemistry to achieve—and exceed—our goals for the long haul. Be bold, strong and cohesive with a culture tuned towards excellence. Playfulness is valued. We protect the standard, we support each other, and we do hard things with a steady heart.

  • Transparency

    We steward open newsroom practices, prompt corrections, and public accountability. Across our organization, we say what we know, how we know it, and what we’re still working to confirm. When we miss, we correct quickly and visibly—no excuses, no hiding.