Chi-Town Daily News

The Daily News is an online newspaper written by and for Chicago residents. We're dedicated to bringing you Chicago stories you won't find anywhere else.

Since its debut in December 2005, the Daily News has drawn thousands of visitors a month and nationwide attention as a publication on the cutting edge of the Internet news industry. Here’s why:

• Citizen journalism – News and information have traditionally flowed in one direction: From journalists to readers. We are building an “open source” journalism organization, where news becomes a conversation between engaged community members and reporters. We create greater involvement in news and civic affairs by training Chicago residents to report and write their own stories. To learn more, visit our citizen journalism section.

• Hyper-local coverage – Chicago’s newspapers are increasingly focused on suburban readers. We are assembling a network of neighborhood correspondents – one in each Chicago zip code – to report on issues and events that matter to city residents. We are particularly intent on covering economically disadvantaged neighborhoods that have long been ignored by other media outlets.

• Multimedia – Many media organizations have failed to embrace the potential of multimedia storytelling. We recognize that the future of the news business is online. We reach readers through articles, blogs, streaming audio and video Podcasts.

• Our business model – News organizations across the country have cut back on staff and coverage to meet the demands of Wall Street. This is particularly true in Chicago, where City News Service closed in 2005, and the Sun-Times and the Tribune have both reduced staff. We believe the best way to ensure media organizations carry out their vital public-interest functions is to lead the industry toward a non-profit business model. The Daily News is published by PublicMedia, Inc., an Illinois non-profit corporation.