The Ones Who Dared to Fight City Hall — and Why It Matters

Give and Get Democracy: Your support keeps local journalism unbossed and unbought.

Dear Champions of Local News,

The first Yellow Scenes

It’s hard to believe 25 years have passed since Yellow Scene first hit Boulder County. I had just left Boulder Weekly and was living in Erie, thinking East County could use its own local source. Funny how times change. I sold ads before I even had a product—or, for that matter, a business. It proved how much local businesses needed a true community voice.

That same spirit of taking a risk on a hunch still drives us today. We look for what the community needs and strive to fill it. Most people pick up the magazine and say, “There’s interesting stuff in here.”

It’s startling that people are surprised by the quality of reporting in a local magazine. Having started in media at 21, my career has been rooted in local journalism. I grew up believing in its mission, which is simple: Who has the power? And who is causing the harm?

With 85% of U.S. media now controlled by six major conglomerates, what we’re served often protects those in power—or worse, isn’t journalism at all. We have plenty of “lifestyle” magazines filled with sponsored content.

Yellow Scene is the last locally owned, independent publication serving all of Boulder County—and we still print. Even though it could ease the financial challenges of independent media, we refuse pay-to-play content and hold ourselves to high standards. Being interesting is the point.

Over the years, we’ve never shied away from hard subjects. Recently, one of our reporters went undercover at the ICE facility to talk to a detainee not receiving the medical care they needed. Another zigzagged through the heartland, talking to people resisting the current administration—sleeping in his car to keep costs down. Our lawsuit against the City of Boulder isn’t for money; there’s no payout if we win. But the people of Colorado will benefit, because a win would set a statewide precedent for transparency and the public’s right to know.

Local advertising alone can no longer sustain a newsroom. We could have made it easier on ourselves—taken the sponsored content and played it safe—but that’s never who we were. We chose the harder path: to stay people-powered and independent. This is the kind of journalism your support makes possible.

For $8 a month, you can enjoy Yellow Scene delivered to your door—award-winning stories, bold design, and coverage that connects our community. Right now, every dollar you give is matched through Dec. 31 by the Colorado Media Project. Your $8 monthly commitment counts as $96 for the year, which doubles to $192 with the match.

Fifty-two new sustaining supporters by Dec. 31 will help us reach our goal. Please consider joining today, because local democracy is just as important as what’s happening in D.C.