Ojai Valley News Foundation: Mission

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Independent community newspapers act as the eyes of the public. Our purpose is to shine light on local government and stakeholders, and to write the first draft of the life and times of our community. Fact based reporting on the people's business: community life for the public good, school, county, city, and agency governance, student achievements, sports, the environment, on business, culture and events. Local news outlets provide a platform for community engagement by sharing opinions. Local news teams work alongside our first responders during emergencies in our role in public communication, and offer free reporting as a public service during emergencies. We support and protect the First Amendment of the Constitution and the public’s right to know by diligently discovering the facts and shining light on the truth. Local news is the document of our community’s history as it occurs, and we connect our community through our common story.

Whereas: Factual local community news reporting is a vital resource to Ojai Valley and Ventura County residents, and its health is litmus test for an informed and engaged community;

Whereas: The old news industry business model consisting of ads/subscription income with profit taking by shareholders is no longer working. The existence of Ventura County independent newspapers are under threat of closing or being purchased by out-of-state corporations and consolidated, 

Whereas: The local community news reporting coverage in Ventura County has been diminishing as is the public’s view into matters directly affecting them;

Whereas: The future of robust news gathering and factual Independent local adjudicated news reporting needs to include philanthropy to adequately cover the Ojai Valley and our county neighbors.

Whereas: The remaining legacy adjudicated independent newspapers need the support of their communities to remain strong, diverse, and grow their reporting coverage of Ventura County;

The Ojai Valley News Foundation supports Ventura County owned, adjudicated independent newspapers by expanding reporting coverage, promoting local media literacy and access; preserving newspaper history, and fostering professional relationships within the local independent news community.