BridgeDetroit, Local News Startup, Wants You to Set the Agenda

A new Detroit-based journalism project launched this week with the aim of giving Detroiters more power over their news coverage.

“We want to be here to be engaged, to listen, to respond, and to really lift up the voices of Detroiters.” — Catherine Kelly, BridgeDetroit

This non-profit news organization seeks to engage the Detroit community on the issues that matter most to the city. After about two years of work, Detroit Today host Stephen Henderson and his team were able to formally unveil BridgeDetroit to the public.

Listen: Detroit’s New Community-Minded Journalism Venture, BridgeDetroit. 

Guests

Catherine Kelly, Managing Editor/Director at BridgeDetroit, says that the news organization hopes to address issues that often go underreported in Detroit, concerns that impact the city’s residents.

“We want to be here to be engaged, to listen, to respond, and to really lift up the voices of Detroiters,” says Kelly. The newsroom, Kelly says, reflects BridgeDetroit’s commitment to diversity. “I think we have a very dynamic group of people who are committed to the city, who are committed to journalism, who are committed to really telling stories and creating a platform for voices that don’t always get heard.”

Olivia Lewis, reporter and editor at BridgeDetroit, says everything the newsroom does is based on the Community Priorities Model, engaging Detroiters on issues that matter most to them.

“It’s coming from the actual community,” Lewis says of BridgeDetroit’s civi-minded reporting.