Solano NewsNet relaunches, will debut new website this summer
(Background image by Robert Couse-Baker/Graphic by Solano NewsNet)
By: Solano NewsNet staff
After a brief hiatus over the winter, Solano NewsNet has returned.
The premiere destination for Solano County-related breaking news and original, in-depth journalism relaunched on Monday with refreshed branding that includes an updated logo for the digital news organization and the establishment of a new hotline — 707-507-NEWS (6397) — that readers can call or text with breaking news tips, general information, comments or questions.
Earlier this month, the news outlet incorporated as Solano Media, LLC. The California Secretary of State’s office approved the filing last week.
“The formation of the LLC, coupled with the launch of our refreshed branding and reader hotline, furthers the commitment we made last January to establish a digital newsroom for those who live, work and play in Solano County, California,” Matthew Keys, the owner-publisher of Solano NewsNet, said in a statement.
In August 2020, Solano NewsNet soft-launched as a newsletter that was designed to help local residents get factual, actionable information during the LNU Lightning Complex wildfire, which impacted significant parts of northern Solano County. Months later, the newsletter was rebranded to Solano NewsNet, which extended to several digital products, including a real-time Facebook group limited to Solano County residents and workers.
In an interview on Wednesday, Keys said the Facebook group in particular has been instrumental in the success of establishing Solano NewsNet as a reputable local news brand.
“While other community-based social media groups can sometimes descend into a noisy free-for-all, ours operates within a simple framework: Only verified or verifiable information is posted, facts take precedent over rhetoric and participants must be respectful of one another,” Keys said. “We also stress that our participants have to be civil with one another. Our community members are constantly reminded that they’re engaging with their neighbors —the very people they may run into at the grocery store or post office someday — and this has fostered a collaborative, respectful and helpful digital community that has grown to nearly 3,000 members.”
Since relaunching under the Solano NewsNet brand last year, the news outlet has published a number of breaking news stories and exclusive reports that have been cited by peer news outlets like the San Francisco Chronicle, Newsweek and the Davis Vanguard. Other outlets, including KPIX-TV and KXTV, have re-used Solano NewsNet material under a limited, free-to-use license.
Keys said the company is working to formalize media partnerships with select broadcasters, outlets and community publishers that will allow them to increase their use of Solano NewsNet material. He also said partnerships with freelancers like City News Support and community groups like Vallejo Crime & Safety have been instrumental in Solano NewsNet’s ability to newsgather and report.
“I’ve long been a proponent of collaborating with others, whether it’s our news industry peers or leaders in the community,” Keys said. “Trust in the news media eroded over the last few years after the public realized many for-profit newsrooms were prioritizing sensationalistic stories over useful, need-to-know information — a byproduct of media brands prioritizing competition over collaboration. So we’ve deliberately taken the opposite approach, and by doing so, we’ve built a brand that people in our local community know they can turn to for honest, accurate reporting.”
Later this summer, Solano NewsNet will launch a new website that will house its original reporting and breaking news while unlocking additional opportunities to publish in-depth journalism, community reporting, video packages and live streams. The website will feature advertisements instead of a paywall, which will allow it to be free to access.
After the website launches, Solano NewsNet will continue to distribute a limited number of stories by email through the Substack service, Keys affirmed. Solano NewsNet on Substack is free to access, though Keys intends to offer additional perks, including one-on-one conferences with Solano NewsNet editors, for those who pay for a membership ($5.50 a month or $50 a year).
By the end of the year, Keys says he hopes to onboard a small staff and establish a network of freelancers that can help provide on-the-ground reporting from across the county. Communities that are underserved by traditional news outlets will be a strong focus for Solano NewsNet, including Benicia, Dixon and Rio Vista.
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