Why CPAL is launching a nonprofit newsroom

Dallas is strengthened when it has journalism that goes beyond the news of the day.

I've seen how in-depth reporting can inspire elected officials and frontline practitioners alike to keep data, evidence, and, most importantly, real people at the center of their decision-making.

That's why we're launching The Lab Report. Useful journalism. Information that offers actionable insight for those who care about Dallas' future. That's the goal.

Our starting point is upward mobility and a desire for Dallas to be an opportunity-rich place for all families to raise a child. And when we say “all families,” we really mean all—in every neighborhood, without exception. We view this ambition through the lens of a social contract, a living agreement that is necessarily in a constant state of negotiation. Safe neighborhoods, strong schools, attainable housing, reliable healthcare, employment that pays a living wage, and welcoming public spaces are all pillars of that contract. Transparent city budgeting plays a role, but so do zoning hearings, bus schedules, and neighborhood parks.

These negotiations play out in both big decisions and daily details—and we don't believe they should be won by whoever can round up the loudest voices, nor should they rely on the convenience of ad hominem tactics. The best cities will build their social contract by grappling with the messy truth, not by reaching for easy answers. Evidence, data, and critical thinking must guide our decisions, and we should make tradeoffs with our eyes wide open. When local journalism is at its finest, it helps us do just that.

Let’s be willing to ask, over and over again, “What’s working, what’s not, and why? And for whom?”

While other outlets rightly cover the public meetings of the day, we'll focus on which debates carry longer-term consequences, following them through sustained reporting that helps shape a fuller understanding of the issues affecting families in our city. We want to paint a picture of how decisions, data, and on-the-ground realities interact over time, especially when the answers aren’t simple.

That kind of journalism—committed to evidence, real-world impacts, and the messy truth—has never been more urgent.

The numbers tell the story: institutional trust is reaching historic lows. Only about one in five Americans say they trust the federal government to do the right thing most of the time. Confidence in courts, science, and higher education has also slipped. National news outlets fare only slightly better. The path forward begins within local communities. While just 22 percent of Americans express a favorable view of the federal government, a significant 61 percent hold a positive opinion of their local government.

This pattern extends to local media, which continues to earn more trust than national outlets—creating a critical opportunity and responsibility for local journalism. In an era where misinformation proliferates and erodes institutional trust, local journalists who are given the freedom to report with depth and complexity can serve as a stabilizing force. In other words, when the feed is flooded with hot takes, and advocacy groups pitch ghostwritten op-eds to compete for attention, the most radical thing a newsroom can do is focus on trustworthiness. But let's remember, good journalism isn’t a reaction. It’s a discipline that demands rigorous training, ethical grounding, and a deep commitment to uncovering the truth with care. For us, it starts with the people holding the notepads. That’s why we hired Sharon Grigsby and Matt Goodman to help set the foundation.

• Sharon brings more than 40 years of experience reporting and editing in Dallas, most recently serving as city columnist for The Dallas Morning News. A Pulitzer finalist and winner of the Carmage Walls Commentary Prize, she blends investigative rigor with deep empathy for the communities she covers. Her work has ranged from reporting inside Parkland’s ICUs to trekking levees after floods, and she helped lead The Dallas Morning News’ Pulitzer Prize-winning “Bridging Dallas’ North-South Gap” project. Sharon has a rare ability to deepen her readers’ connection to the perspectives of people who shape Dallas—whether they hold elected office or work quietly behind the scenes.

• Matt spent nearly 11 years at D Magazine, rising to online editorial director, where he became known for translating complex civic issues into compelling, human-centered stories. In addition to D, he has worked in a variety of newsrooms, from an alt-weekly to a small-town daily, as well as big city broadcast television stations, all of which honed his ability to balance the urgency of breaking news with the thoughtfulness required for longform depth. At D Magazine, Matt’s reporting spanned everything from the intricacies of zoning policy and infrastructure debates to tracking a heart transplant from donor to recipient. Whether covering City Hall or chronicling the unseen work of grassroots advocates, he brings a rare talent for connecting complex systems to their real-world impact on the everyday experiences of Dallasites.

The overwhelming response when we announced that Sharon and Matt would be joining CPAL to co-found a nonprofit newsroom made something crystal clear: trustworthy journalism still holds tremendous value to people in every corner of Dallas. That's hopeful—and it suggests people are hungry for the kind of reporting that can actually strengthen our social contract. If we are serious about that goal, we must ground it in evidence instead of amplifying echo chambers.

We are excited for The Lab Report to begin publishing soon. But we also believe the future of local news must be a team sport. We are fortunate to work in a city with a strong media ecosystem that includes a daily newspaper, a respected city magazine, an alt-weekly, local TV stations, public radio, and important community publications—together delivering critical coverage every day. We celebrate the journalists across Dallas who help make our city a more informed place.

Still, the challenges facing local journalism are real. Metro sections have shrunk. The use of wire services in place of local reporting has grown. Business models are strained. And in a digital landscape where barriers to entry are low and the rewards for infotainment are high, not every outlet that claims to be “news” upholds the standards that real journalism requires.

Yet even more dire challenges face many families throughout our city. These problems demand careful attention, and finding solutions will require doubling down on a commitment to inquiry. That is why we believe there is room—and real need—for The Lab Report.

Our goal isn't to replace or compete with what already exists, but to contribute something additive. We envision a home for journalists who are driven by curiosity and, even in the digital age, are given the time to do work that the most trustworthy reporting requires: gathering facts, checking sources, and being challenged by rigorous editing.

If you work to strengthen Dallas, or if you simply care about the people who call this city home, we invite you to read, question, and make use of what we produce.