Local newspapers are shrinking, and most national media outlets mostly cover Congress and the president. That has left a huge and important void as both parties increasingly enact their policy agendas at the state level. Enter States Newsroom. Over the past six years, the company has founded news outlets focused on state government in 34 states. They are usually quite small, only four to five staffers and a handful of contributing writers. But because so much is happening at the state level and there are so few reporters in most capitals, these operations are extremely valuable. I subscribe to the newsletter for the Kentucky Lantern and read it every day. “In many states, we have more reporters in the capital year-round than any other news organization,” said Chris Fitzsimon, the director and publisher of States Newsroom.

Pew has transferred its Stateline news service to States Newsroom,