Alaska Beacon Information

Alaska Beacon is an independent, nonpartisan news organization focused on connecting Alaskans to their state government. Alaska, like many states, has seen a decline in the coverage of state news. We aim to reverse that. Our name echoes the first verse of the Alaska Flag Song: “The great North Star with its steady light, O’er land and sea a beacon bright.” Our journalists report fairly and fearlessly on the people and interests that determine state policy. We do not serve any political party or private interest. We support the ability of all Alaskans to participate in the political process. We provide accurate, factual reporting. We promptly correct errors. If you see one, let us know. Beacon reporters explore how state policies affect specific areas like the economy and environment, education, health, and criminal and social justice. We aim to tell stories that aren’t being told, to bring fresh perspectives to state issues and to amplify the voices of Alaska communities that have been marginalized. We seek to train people practicing journalism by offering internships. Alaska Beacon provides a forum for commentary on state issues, with a goal of elevating policy conversations. These commentaries don’t come from our reporters and are labeled differently from our news reporting. To do our jobs, we rely solely on the donations of those who value independent journalism. We welcome other news organizations to republish our work, and ask that they credit us. Alaska Beacon is an affiliate of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, supported by grants and donations. Our editorial decisions are made inside Alaska by Alaska journalists. Alaska Beacon retains full editorial independence.