Media Mentions
We’re grateful to have been recognized nationally, regionally and locally for our strong independent journalism.
2025 Mentions
The Secessionists of Shasta County – Los Angeles Review of Books
Nevin Kallepalli investigates political resentment in rural California, in an essay from LARB Quarterly no. 47: “Security.”
California is voting on redistricting. An election skeptic runs the process in one county – The Guardian
But Curtis himself has already faced the threat of a lawsuit, accusing him of targeting a local media outlet, Shasta Scout, because of coverage he didn’t like.
The outlet had published a story revealing that the secretary of state’s office said it had not approved Curtis’s plans for the election, contradicting his claims, said Annelise Pierce, the editor and founder of Shasta Scout. Turner, Curtis’s deputy, told Pierce that she was coming close to “meddling” in elections and might be engaging in election interference, Pierce said.
Clint Curtis threatened with censure after excluding Shasta Scout from press releases – KRCR
Shasta County Supervisors condemned Clerk and Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis’ decision to exclude Shasta Scout, a local media organization, from receiving news releases.
California county cuts news outlet from media list after critical coverage – US Press Freedom Tracker
“I’m really grateful that the community’s rights to a free and unfettered press are being upheld by our board,” Annelise Pierce, Shasta Scout’s editor, told the Tracker.
Shasta County Supervisors condemn election chief’s exclusion of a local news outlet – Jefferson Public Radio
The Shasta County clerk is under fire after excluding Shasta Scout from getting press releases.
Shasta County elections chief condemned by supervisors for excluding media outlet – Redding Record Searchlight
In a special meeting Tuesday, Shasta County supervisors unanimously rebuked Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis’ actions to exclude a local media outlet from receiving press releases from the elections office.
Society of Professional Journalists of NorCal Statement on Shasta County Registrar of Voters’ Targeting Shasta Scout – SPJ NorCal
The Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists denounces the Shasta County Registrar of Voters’ targeting of Shasta Scout and urges the Registrar to immediately restore the publication’s access to press releases.
First Amendment Coalition Represents Newsroom After Shasta Elections Official Illegally Excludes its Journalists from Media Release Distribution – First Amendment Coalition
FAC represents Shasta Scout, a nonprofit newsroom in Redding, in demanding Shasta County’s top election official, Registrar of Voters Clinton Curtis, restore the newsroom’s journalists to its press release distribution list. Curtis told Shasta Scout he did not think it was a “legitimate” newsroom due to its “political lean” and nonprofit status.
FAC’s letter notes Curtis’s decision violates the First Amendment, writing: “The government may not condition its distribution of press releases on its perception of what publications are deemed ‘legitimate.’”
The High Stakes of Reporting on Homegrown Extremism – Nieman Reports
Annelise Pierce, Shasta Scout founder, is featured in this story.
In Northern California, one news outlet commits to representing an entire community with fairness and curiosity – Poynter
Shasta Scout founder Annelise Pierce says curiosity and a want to understand drives her approach to local news.
ACID Canal
“ACID Canal” is a gripping documentary about Northern California’s severe drought. When the Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District (A.C.I.D.) loses their water allocation, the community suffers a devastating loss to their land and livelihoods. Independent rancher James Rickert runs for the A.C.I.D. board to save his community and fight for their water rights. Facing tough competition, political corruption and other challenges, James wins a seat and, miraculously, rain returns. This film showcases human resilience in adversity and will highlight the journey as one community understands the true value of water.
The work of Shasta Scout is heavily featured in this documentary, which has now been released for streaming.
Golden Sledgehammer Award – Society of Professional Journalists NorCal
As publisher and managing editor of the Shasta Scout, Annelise Pierce has worked tirelessly to advance freedom of information in Shasta County and provide high-quality information to the public.
Pierce was among the reporters documenting the arrest of a protester at a Board meeting the night of Nov. 7, and has resisted efforts from officials to erode access to public meetings. Her reporting, live coverage, and collaboration with organizations like the First Amendment Coalition and legal counsel have helped challenge anti-transparency policies. When city officials moved to limit press access, Pierce’s coverage and pressure from the First Amendment Coalition likely prompted them to retract the policy. Her coverage has also brought critical attention to Shasta County’s practices and compelled the repeal of a public records ordinance assessing illegal fees, ultimately resulting in the release of public documents.
2024 Mentions
Reporters forced from California county meeting during protester’s arrest – U.S. Press Freedom Tracker
“Members of the press were ejected by sheriff’s deputies from a Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting in Redding, California, on Nov. 7, 2024. The deputies claimed that the room was cleared for safety reasons as they arrested a protester who had seated herself in front of the dais.”
Celebrating Local Libraries – Rural Assembly
“Our rural county is a hotspot for misinformation and controversy (just google us!) and Katie has done impressive work on increasing access to media literacy and how to spot misinformation with her students.”
3 tips for building trust with readers through election coverage – Indiegraf Media
How do you provide election coverage in a community concerned about voter fraud? Shasta Scout founder Annelise Pierce discusses how to create “responsive” election coverage that addresses these concerns while fostering transparency and trust.
2023 Mentions
Financial Health Award (Small Revenue Tier)– LION Publishers
“Shasta Scout launched in the spring of 2021 and saw solid early revenue growth. Over their second year of operations, they developed strong financial policies and processes and instated a data-driven financial plan to sustain and grow the newsroom.
From the judges: “Shasta Scout provides a compelling example of the growth journey for a small media outlet that prioritizes diversity, inclusion, and high-quality journalism. Their dedication, combined with strategic approaches to revenue diversification, compensation, and investment in revenue generation efforts, is poised to yield positive results.”
The Rebirth of Local Journalism – The New York Times
“Black Californians in the 1800s took extraordinary measures to escape slavery and make California a place of belonging – Shasta Scout”
The music-powered, radically transparent, collaborative and crowdsourced approaches to NewsMatch 2022 fundraising – Institute for Nonprofit News
“This is a long game for us at Shasta Scout. The purpose is not just to bring in funds this year but to deepen trust with our audience.”
Golden Insights: Lessons from Election SOS Newsrooms – Medium
“Extremists” Are People, Too … and Voters and Candidates”
“P&Ls and other dumb sh*t,” plus other takeaways from our Southeast Meetup – Lion Publishers
Shasta Scout’s Annelise Pierce won the Financial Health Award in the small revenue tier during the Awards Ceremony, and in her acceptance speech, said, “LION got me thinking about P&Ls [profit and loss statements] and other dumb sh*t. And I’m grateful for it.” Her comment was met with roaring applause and instantly became the evening’s winning catchphrase.
Inside the Story: Reporting on the Shasta County Elections – Indiegraf Media
A Q&A with Shasta Scout managing editor and community reporter Annelise Pierce on the challenges and lessons from covering the Nov. 7 elections.
8 Women Redefining Journalism – Indiegraf Media
Annelise Pierce is the solopreneur behind Shasta Scout, a non-profit, independent, civic news service focused on the diverse and investigative stories of California’s North State.
What Reporters Can Do When Candidates or Officials Ice You Out – Medium
“Something really interesting is that people with what we think of as extreme political views often have a high value for listening to the people. They’re very focused on a similar “we the people” theme. So they particularly really valued how we flipped the script.”
2022 Mentions
New Business of the Year (Small Revenue Tier) – LION Publishers
Shasta Scout’s reporting is centered around experiences and perspectives of under-represented community members. Strong revenue growth resulted, moving from initial seed funding of $3,500 to first-year income of nearly $100,000.
From the judges: “Shasta Scout has been intentional in pursuing sustainability at all levels of their operations: editorial, financial, and personal. Their creative approaches are contributing to building an enduring local news operation.”
Behind the Story: Shasta Scout’s “Too Much Native News?” Newsletter – Indiegraf Media
“Because Native people have and continue to experience colonial-style extraction, both from their lands as well as their stories and knowledges, maintaining reciprocal and respectful relationships with sources and contributors is essential.”
Bending the Arc: Conversation with Annelise Pierce of Shasta Scout – KKRN
“In this episode of Bending the Arc, we speak with Annelise Pierce, founder of Shasta Scout, a free online news service for Shasta County.”
INN Nonprofit News Award Winners – Institute for Nonprofit News
Breaking Barriers Award Honorable Mention: Shasta Scout – Shasta Scout’s Hyperlocal Indigenous Affairs Coverage by Marc Dadigan
2023 National Native Media Award Winners – Indigenous Journalists Association
Associates Divisions 1& 2: Print/Online Best Coverage of Native America: Third Place Marc Dadigan “Local Native Educator Interrupts Grave Robbing of Wintu Burials at Turtle Bay” – Shasta Scout
Part II: What news founders wish they’d known about launching a media business – LION Publishers
Shasta Scout’s Annelise Pierce and RevLab’s Emily Dresslar share news startup tips and lessons on News Guest.
Trust, transparency and responsiveness: Indiegraf’s #ONA22 panel – Indiegraf
The next generation of independent news publishers must be willing to challenge traditional journalistic practices in order to truly respond to community needs. That was the key takeaway from Indiegraf’s late September session at the Online News Association conference about “Building and Independent, Yet Interdependent, News Ecosystem.”
For all of those who missed it, here are some takeaways from moderator Gabe Schneider (The Objective) and panelists Ryan Sorrell (The Kansas City Defender), Annelise Pierce (Shasta Scout), Duc Luu (Knight Foundation) and Erin Millar (Indiegraf).
2021 Mentions
Episode 5 – American Dispatch Podcast
Features a shoutout to Shasta Scout.
‘Journalists are not bystanders’: Shasta Scout rejects objectivity with real examples – Coming From Project
“Journalists are not bystanders. The words we use, the people we choose to seek comment from, the history we choose to retell, and the subjects we focus on are just some of the ways we actively participate in shaping our reader’s understanding of their community. This is a responsibility we don’t take lightly, but it’s real and it’s inescapable. Bias is unavoidable. Objectivity is a false goal. Everyone is telling a story through a lens. And we are too.”
Lawyers for Reporters connects local news outlets with free legal services – Nieman Lab
“We felt it was very important to try to figure out a way to provide the kinds of legal resources that aren’t otherwise provided to these hyperlocal, social justice-focused, and other media outlets.”
Season 2 – Heaven Bent Podcast
Shasta Scout Editor Annelise Pierce is a serial guest throughout the season.
