FAQs

Every week, our reporters pitch ideas and discuss potential stories during our editorial meetings. Together, we determine which stories matter most, how we’ll report them, and when they’ll be published. Some content appears exclusively in our specialized newsletters, like Housing Happenings or Democracy Digest.

We’re especially focused on stories that illuminate housing, labor, democracy, and cost-of-living issues, highlight the human impacts of policy, and empower residents to make their voices heard.

Like most newsrooms, we always have more ideas than capacity—so prioritizing impactful reporting is key.

The ACC team is made up of real people who want to do journalism differently. They live right here, frequent some of the same places you might, and have a deep desire to see our city and region succeed.

Our editorial team has received some of the best journalism training with an emphasis on putting the reader first, focusing on accuracy, and asking questions to get beyond the surface of an issue. We routinely use Trusting News tips and learnings to help readers understand how and why we’ve reported on a particular issue, especially if it’s controversial.

We strive to ensure every article is accurate, and our reporters work with our editor on fact-checking before we hit publish. If we get something wrong, please let us know. Send an email to info@atlantaciviccircle.org. Before issuing a correction, the reporter and editor meet to review potential errors and craft an update, if so. We’ll also add a note in italics at either the top or bottom of the story letting readers know the story has been corrected.

We do not honor requests to change text that is factual but not phrased or written in a way the requestor wants.

Solutions journalism is a reporting approach that helps the reader better understand a particular issue and shows a path towards solving the problem. It traditionally includes a response to a problem, insights relevant to the audience, evidence and data, and context rooted in reality. 

The ACC newsroom has gone through several trainings and programs from the Solutions Journalism Network. The SJN approach is important to us because we write about policies that directly impact our readers. We recognize that there’s no easy fix to addressing housing affordability and other key issues facing our region. So, we’re committed to exploring potential solutions so we can help move the needle and build a brighter future.

Atlanta Civic Circle is a digital newsroom with a focus on people-powered journalism and civic engagement, and deep reporting on housing, democracy, and labor. Elected officials and practitioners rely on our housing coverage, and so do renters wanting to understand their rights. Metro Atlanta voters rely on our election coverage, including our voter guides, to help them understand what’s on the ballot and how it impacts their personal lives. 

Our readers come to us for information that goes beyond the press release. As one reader put it,” I read ACC to understand why I should care about a particular issue or action.” 

From TV news to a big city print newspaper to local Substack writers and social media influencers, we recognize there are lots of ways to get news in metro Atlanta. That’s why we often partner with others to streamline costs, boost our reporting, and reach new audiences. ACC partners have included 90.1 WABE, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Canopy Atlanta, Capital B Atlanta, and Rough Draft to name a few. We’ve also partnered with social media influencers. 

We believe journalism and the media should be considered a public utility, vital to all. And we encourage people to read and support local journalism.

We are a nonpartisan newsroom that believes in policies that promote civic engagement and voter participation and that helps residents thrive in their communities. 

Our reporters reach out to candidates and elected officials regardless of political affiliation.

Great, we’re happy to accept a pitch. First, make sure it’s relevant to our topic areas and our readers. Please save our inboxes and avoid sending us pitches about a new haircare product or the opening of a new pizza spot. Send your relevant pitches to info@atlantaciviccircle.org. Make sure your pitch makes clear why this story is relevant to ACC readers.

Awesome. We’re always looking for freelance journalists, photographers, and videographers. Send us your pitches at info@atlantaciviccircle.org. Pitching an article, photo essay, or video? Include a brief description (no more than 100 words) of the story, the medium, and an anticipated timeline for publication.

Click here to meet the board. If you’re interested in joining the board of directors, send an email to our executive director at saba@atlantaciviccircle.org.

We’re a small team so volunteers can make a big difference in helping us with events and other activities. Send an email to info@atlantaciviccircle.org and include your skill sets and areas of interest.