We’re a group of journalists who noticed the Greater Oviedo community wasn’t getting its story told, so we banded together to form a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on community issues and spends as much time listening to its readers as it does writing stories for them. We hope that by keeping our coverage area small – Oviedo, Winter Springs, Chuluota and Geneva – we’re less likely to miss somethi
ng important, such as a hot issue being debated in a city meeting, a nail-biter of a high school football game, or a citizen doing a good deed. We also believe that every community is special and has its own story to tell. As excited as we are to dive into the stories, we are spending time thoughtfully collecting as much public input as possible to learn what information people want and how they want to get it. We are talking to local groups, leaders and individuals, and are circulating a survey. Oviedo Community News, which exists under the umbrella nonprofit organization Central Florida Community News, is independent and is 501(c)(3)-pending, meaning it will operate under a board of directors. Our funding will come from donations (mostly individual), sponsorships and grants. We maintain editorial independence from donors, which means our funding never influences our coverage plans. We have created a citizen advisory board that will meet quarterly. This board will help guide our coverage plans, offer new perspectives on the community and the issues it faces, ensure we are meeting the community's coverage needs and identify any biases, inaccuracies or grievances in the community. Email [email protected] if you’re interested in joining this board and would like more details.
