Strengthening journalism in the Pacific Northwest

Local journalism across the country and the Pacific Northwest has been under intense financial pressure for several decades, forcing many local newspapers and other media outlets to close or shrink their newsrooms. At OPB, we believe that everyone in our region deserves access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. That’s why we’ve committed to never placing our journalism behind a paywall. Thanks to member support, we proudly offer a diverse array of Northwest storytelling.

However, OPB is not an island. It is part of a broader media landscape. We recognize that people living in the Pacific Northwest deserve a healthy media ecosystem, and OPB’s work through partnerships aims to maintain that health well into the future.

We partner with outlets across the region to ensure everyone has access to stories that document the news, life and culture that make the Northwest special. These collaborations not only allow OPB to share our journalism but also enable us to showcase the exceptional work of our partners.

Content sharing

We’re excited to share our stories with any news organization that wants to use them, without charge. Our only request is that our work is not edited in substantive ways and that appropriate credit is given. For digital publications, we ask for a link back to OPB.org. Please connect with us before republication. If you’re interested in partnering, reach out to OPB’s managing editor Ryan Haas at rhaas@opb.org. We look forward to collaborating! Some examples of OPB’s partnerships include:

• The Northwest Newspaper Partnership is a coalition of small newspapers and digital outlets that shares content across newspapers in Oregon and Washington. We serve as a regional wire service, particularly in covering state government, education, and environmental issues. These formal partnerships, such as with the East Oregonian, allow partners to republish OPB stories free of charge to their audience.
• The Northwest News Network (N3) is a partnership of public media organizations from Oregon and Washington that shares stories and collaborates on significant reporting efforts and breaking news events. In 2019, we worked with KUOW on a series of stories chronicling the troublesome lack of regulation in county jails across the Pacific Northwest.
• In 2024, we worked with the Oregonian to vet and ask questions of Portland City Council candidates and explain Portland’s complicated new system of ranked choice voting.
• OPB worked alongside ProPublica to investigate the ways the federal government had intentionally used dam creation and other policies to destroy salmon in the Pacific Northwest and harm Indigenous people and traditions. The result was a series of investigative stories, the documentary film “Salmon People,” and the podcast, Salmon Wars.
• OPB also frequently shares work from our news partners through our broadcast and digital platforms so our audience can see stellar journalism happening elsewhere in the region. Examples include an InvestigateWest look at behavioral health programs for children and dedicated coverage of Northwest Indigenous issues through Underscore Native News.
• We also commission work from freelancers with unique stories to tell, and we work with outside content creators to produce long-form audio projects such as the podcasts Bundyville, Dying for a Fight and Starting a Riot.
• OPB often supports NPR in covering regional issues of national interest.