From the Geeky Swedes (Cory and Kate Bergman):
We’re excited to announce that Meghan Walker is now the owner and publisher of My Ballard. Meghan has been My Ballard’s editor since 2011, and there’s no one more qualified, talented and deserving to take over the reins.
For Kate and me (aka the “Geeky Swedes”), My Ballard has been an immensely rewarding experience. As new Ballard residents in late 2007, we created the site as a way to explore our new community. Unexpectedly it became one of Seattle’s biggest independent news sites, winning a Ballard community service award and even a national journalism award for community collaboration.
In recent years, we haven’t had the time to give My Ballard the attention it needs, especially after COVID-19 hit. I co-founded a news verification startup, Factal, that’s growing fast. Kate’s job at Microsoft has kicked into high gear. Then the school year began with our two kids in online classes, which as parents know, is a job in itself.
While My Ballard’s traffic is as strong as ever spanning Ballard, Fremont, Phinney and other nearby neighborhoods – averaging 70,000 unique users a month! – we haven’t had the time to keep pace on the business side. In fact, My Ballard has lost money for several years running. Now with Meghan at the helm, we’re excited to see her make improvements to keep My Ballard’s independent journalism available for all.
From Meghan Walker:
I’ve been writing and editing for My Ballard on and off for almost a decade— in fact, this was my first real journalism job out of college in 2011. Editing My Ballard has been deeply fulfilling over the years, and I’m excited to step into this role and help My Ballard evolve by expanding what it can offer to readers on a daily basis.
With the onset of COVID-19, our advertising roster shrunk considerably. My Ballard’s operating budget is running dry, which is why I’m turning to you, our readers, for support. I want this resource not only to continue but to grow. With community support, My Ballard could eventually bring on more writers and expand the type of content we can offer.
Similar to our friends at Capitol Hill Seattle, we’ve started a Patreon account. My Ballard will remain free for everyone (no paywalls coming), but by subscribing for any amount you’ll be ensuring that My Ballard can survive this pandemic and continue to be an independent news resource in North Seattle for years to come. If you choose to subscribe, know that your dollars are going to support local journalism and the community cohesion it helps to foster on a daily basis.
For companies interested in advertising, please visit here.
Gratefully,
Meghan
tips@myballard.com
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