How the Rapidian is boosting media transparency and making city government more accessible to its readers (09-06-25)

WYCE's Community Closeup (*conversations concerning issues of importance in West Michigan)

On this week's episode, WYCE Station Manager Phil Tower speaks with Allison Donahue, Program Manager, The Rapidian.

Allison joined us on this program to provide us with an update about everything happening with The Rapidian.

In 2023, the Rapidian introduced the Grand Rapids Documenters program, part of the nationwide Documenters Network, to create a new public record in Grand Rapids.

Since then, The Rapidian has been training and paying community members to record notes and audio for a diverse range of local public meetings, with a goal of boosting transparency and making what goes on at City Hall (and in boardrooms and auditoriums across the city) more accessible to our neighbors.

Allison also reminded us that The Rapidian upholds the highest standards of editorial independence.

The staff has a strong commitment to full transparency in how they fund their work.

The Rapidian accepts gifts, grants, and sponsorships from individuals, organizations, and foundations to support its operations, special projects, and coverage of specific topics.

However, editorial decisions remain entirely independent—donors have no role in assigning, reviewing, or editing content.

The Rapidian is holding a fund drive September 15-19.

ONLINE: ⁠The Rapidian⁠