What is The News Lede?

News that gets right to the heart of the matter. Americans’ trust in U.S. news media has fallen to historic lows. The primary reason is that the public no longer feels like they are being accurately or fully informed about current events. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, there is a general sense that news reporting is biased. This includes framing stories with false balance (aka both sides).

I created LIT News to provide unvarnished, context-based news with a touch of satire and to build back trust in the news. As I grew an audience on TikTok, I leveraged my expertise as a communications strategist to create content focused on media literacy. At the start of 2024, I expanded my reporting to focus on advocating for civic engagement.

Now, I’ve created The News Lede to complement my in-depth coverage on social media with daily briefs on local, national, and global news stories and a broader synopsis of key themes that are emerging from current events.

This is also a place to discuss what’s happening in the world and to become more informed about what’s happening day-to-day. After all, knowledge is power.

About the Author

Hi! My name is Stephanie Cirigliano and I’m the face behind LIT News on TikTok (@litnewsnow) and now the writer behind The News Lede.

If you’re familiar with my work, thank you for joining me here. I very much appreciate your continued support and definitely couldn’t have done any of this without you!

If you’re a new reader or subscriber, welcome! I do hope you enjoy this newsletter and feel well-informed after each read.

I started LIT News one year ago in June 2023 because I too felt like the corporate and billionaire-owned U.S. media apparatus was not equipped to meet the moment.

When I was a public relations professional, I worked with many talented journalists and saw firsthand the expedited shift in understaffed and underpaid newsrooms. This put more and more pressure on journalists to publish more stories with tighter deadlines. Meanwhile, local and digital news publications rapidly consolidated or folded while opinionated personalities gained popularity on streaming platforms.

I understand that you need to meet your audience where they are at. This doesn’t just mean where the public’s attention is; it also means what the public is asking for. I also believe that it’s imperative to address the dire state of U.S. news. That’s why I made it my mission to create an independent news organization that will build back trust in the news and that advocates for civic engagement.

My ultimate goal is to eventually grow a big enough community that will help me revitalize local and regional news deserts.

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