'Willing to experiment': Stewart Bainum unveils plans for a digital new site tuned to Baltimore

When The Baltimore Banner launches next year, its plan is to cover news of the Baltimore region intensely. Stewart Bainum Jr., the millionaire force behind it, just hired a top editor from The Los Angeles Times to lead the reporting--and says he expects her to take risks, "If we’re not willing to experiment and be willing to fail different experiments, this won't succeed because there's no map for making a local digital online news site financially stable and sustainable.'The Banner will be owned by a nonprofit. Bainum says it won’t succeed unless it produces news that subscribers are willing to pay to read. His goal is not making The Baltimore Sun extinct, he says, but keeping public leaders accountable and citizens informed. Links:The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism Bainum unveils plans for new Baltimore Banner news site — and hires Kimi Yoshino, a top L.A. Times editor, to run itDo you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472