📰 Pacific Northwest Media
Fact-based reporting, analysis, and civic commentary
This guide highlights Washington and Northwest media outlets that combine fact-based reporting with analysis and commentary. While perspectives vary, all listed sources show editorial rigor, civic focus, and a commitment to informing public life.
It complements — not replaces — following and supporting local news sources, including community newspapers, local TV news, and public or commercial radio. They remain important to covering schools, local government, courts, and everyday civic life.
This is a selective list of outlets rooted in Washington or the broader Pacific Northwest that publish original reporting, features, analysis, or commentary with clear editorial standards.
For a broader inventory of nonprofit community and regional outlets, see Plainly, Garbl: Nonprofit News Media–Local Coverage (Washington State) and Regional Coverage (Pacific Northwest).
Independent & Nonprofit Journalism
Post Alley
Seattle-based writers’ collective publishing edited reporting, essays, and commentary from a Northwest perspective.
InvestigateWest
Independent investigative nonprofit producing in-depth reporting on environment, health, and government accountability in the Pacific Northwest.
Cascadia Daily News
Locally owned Whatcom County newsroom offering fact-based daily reporting plus features and columns.
Washington State Standard
Nonprofit, nonpartisan statehouse newsroom providing original reporting and analysis on Washington state government and politics. Part of the States Newsroom national network.
Olympic Peninsula Environmental News
Independent, locally focused journalism covering environmental and land-use issues on the Olympic Peninsula.
Rainshadow Journal
Port Townsend-based outlet publishing regional reporting, essays, and analysis on civic, environmental, and community issues.
Underscore Native News
Nonprofit newsroom focused on Indigenous-centered reporting in the Pacific Northwest.
Uplift Local
Nonprofit community news initiative serving the Columbia River Gorge region in Oregon and Washington.
Public & Legacy Media with High Reliability
Cascade PBS
Public media organization providing reporting, investigations, and regional analysis across Washington state.
The Seattle Times
Washington’s largest daily newspaper, offering extensive local and regional reporting and strong editorial standards.
The Stranger
Seattle publication combining investigative reporting, political commentary, and cultural criticism from a progressive perspective.
Seattle P-I
Digital-only newsroom delivering local and regional reporting, features, and commentary.
Washington-Based Outlets with a National Audience
Grist
Seattle-headquartered nonprofit newsroom focused on climate and environmental journalism at the intersection of policy, justice, and solutions.
YES! Media
Solution-focused journalism based in the Seattle area, now published as a monthly newsletter with a legacy website.
Quick-Read Local News Sources
These outlets are useful for quick scanning and awareness and work best when paired with deeper reporting sources.
Axios Seattle/Axios Portland
Daily local newsletter offering quick summaries and links.
Patch—Across Washington Hyperlocal platform with a mix of staff reporting, community posts, and aggregated material; quality varies by community.
Ownership Matters
Across Washington and the U.S., corporate consolidation has weakened or closed many local news organizations, including newspapers, television stations, and radio outlets. Independent and nonprofit newsrooms face similar risks if communities do not actively support them. Who owns local news — and how it is funded — affects what survives and how well communities are covered.
A separate resource mapping Washington media ownership and newspaper chains is in progress.
📰 Media & Journalism Tools
Check it out for curated lists of progressive, moderate, conservative, and nonprofit news media; fact-checking resources; and media bias and reliability rating sites.
If this resource resonates with you, please share it with friends.
Get new posts from Plainly, Garbl delivered to your inbox.
also The Olympic Peninsula Environmental News