Trib partners with investigative nonprofit Spotlight PA

Trib Total Media on Thursday became a partner in Spotlight PA, the nonprofit investigative newsroom based in Harrisburg that covers state government.

Spotlight PA was launched in September 2019 through The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, which operates the Inquirer. Trib Total Media joins PennLive/Harrisburg Patriot-News as a partner organization, replacing the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which withdrew last month.

“We are a statewide organization, and it’s essential to pay attention to issues affecting Western Pennsylvania,” said Chris Baxter, editor in chief of Spotlight PA. “It’s not just reporting back to Western Pennsylvania what’s going on in Harrisburg — it’s about connecting people in the region to the capital.”

Tribune-Review staff writer Jamie Martines will become a full-time reporter for Spotlight PA, based in Harrisburg. Martines, who joined the Trib in 2016, has worked in the Greensburg and Tarentum newsrooms, covering education, politics and local government. She holds a master’s degree from the Columbia University School of Journalism.

The work of Spotlight PA will appear regularly in the Tribune-Review and online at TribLIVE.com.

“Joining Spotlight PA strengthens our commitment to serving readers throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania,” said Trib Total Media President and CEO Jennifer Bertetto. “Decisions made in Harrisburg affect every aspect of our lives here. We know that readers are hungry to know what goes on in the capital. Joining forces with the professionals at Spotlight helps us fulfill our mission to be a complete news source for the region.”

Spotlight PA receives grants from foundations and donations from individuals. All funding is directed through the Lenfest Institute, which controls the finances of Spotlight. Anonymous donations are not accepted, and all donors are named at spotlightpa.org/support.

In addition to appearing in the Inquirer and PennLive/Harrisburg Patriot-News, the work of Spotlight is distributed through 44 news organizations across Pennsylvania.