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NOTE: This is an invitation to volunteer or guest writers to submit articles to be published in the State Street Renegade. All contributors published in the State Street Renegade are volunteer.
Here we are in 2026. Is America becoming great yet? A rhetorical question, but the stakes couldn’t be higher. Chaos and change are sweeping across the world, and democracy is under siege. Protecting it falls to all of us. The recent “No Kings” protest — millions speaking loudly and clearly. Dissent is everywhere, every day. This is the moment to be heard, to speak out, to share our stories. They’re our affidavits of what’s really happening in the real world.
Corporate media has boxed itself in. Major TV networks, shaped by partisan pressures, now function more like political instruments than independent broadcasters. Their influence, wealth, and visibility have become liabilities rather than strengths. It’s an unprecedented vulnerability — one that erodes public trust and brushes against First Amendment protections.
For instance, using the FCC to pressure or threaten the loss of a broadcaster’s license if a station refuses to align with government preferences or raiding a journalist’s home or office for criticizing the government. These Gestapo tactics are not normal.
The White House press pool and the Pentagon briefing room have largely traded journalism for stenography, repeating official lines instead of challenging them. And while this plays out on a national and global stage, the deeper problem is that government behavior often sets the tone for institutions at every level — right down to the local press.
Traditional local press has all but vanished in today’s cyber driven world. The cost of print publishing, overhead cost and distribution to a reducing subscriber base contributed to shutting down the presses. Reliance on newswires, social media and less on local coverage has trended for over two decades now. There is just more of it that we know about.
This transition is driven mostly by the ever-evolving technology in use. Even worse, technology resulted in staff reduction. I worked for a news organization that decided one day to eliminate the photography department of the newspaper and fired all the photographers. The reporters were aghast. Instead, management gave the reporters cheap little digital cameras and were instructed to take their own photos. This was about cutting costs vs. quality. These journalists weren’t photographers. The quality of the newspaper was instantly degraded. To top it off, newswire feeds became dominant over local coverage and circulation took a downward trend — subjected to being discontinued.
I can’t generalize reasons publications go under. That was just one story. There are many moving parts that go into those decisions. What I can say is, this is what progress is and we find ourselves having to navigate it the best we can — to stay relevant and survive the changing times. In this visual age, journalists are now usually photographers also –- a photo-journalist.
I’m not convinced conventional publishing models are fading away. There are still newspapers and magazines on the news stand. Another scenario, the film vs. video argument; It has been predicted that video would replace film in the motion picture industry. It has come true — to an extent. It has made its mark and looks fabulous. But consider this; There is still a substantial niche of active filmmakers that choose shooting film over video for aesthetic reasons. Anyone that watches movies have seen them. The industry support for actual film is vibrant. The key word here is choice — A preference.
The other side of that coin is, often times films shot on video require adding special effects film grain to make video look more like film. Sometimes best isn’t always better -– it’s just more. The point is, do not underestimate the impact niche media outlets can make.
So where does that leave us? It means local independent media has a real opening — a chance to cut through the glut and mistrust that’s taken root in cities and towns across the country. I think there is a void to be filled. Use your First Amendment rights as they were intended. Local journalism is pushing its way into the national conversation.
Most small outlets such as The State Street Renegade, run on lean or no budget and have few, if any, assets to target in lawsuits. If the government can’t extract money from you, there’s little incentive to pressure you the way it can with large corporate media, which often pay millions to avoid conflict or litigation usually based on bogus accusations.
For The State Street Renegade, not everything needs to be political — even in spite of a climate where nearly anything can be turned into a political target. There’s a growing impulse to view every issue through a partisan lens. But that’s exactly why we should widen our scope and speak plainly about what’s true, without the distortion of ideology. Make truth stronger than the lies.
Take one example: certain retail chains — unnamed here — have responded to federal pressure around anti‑DEI messaging by distancing themselves from LGBTQ and minority communities. This stems from the Whitehouse executive order that DEI initiatives are illegal along with the widely known DeSantis’s, “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Neither are legitimate law. These stores serve everyone, including people who support those anti-DEI campaigns. How does a department store become a political battleground? Or a university? Or a newsroom?
These are parts of everyday life that shouldn’t be dragged into partisan warfare. It can only be described as extorsion motivated by hate, racism, and greed. It’s a dubious act to eradicate what has been termed as, liberal degeneracy – accusing that liberalism is poison to society. To dismiss diverse points of view.
The present administration is intent on robbing you of your identity and individuality. People shouldn’t feel forced to navigate their lives based on political alignment or who or what they are. Some things simply aren’t political — until someone decides to make them so.
There’s no real basis for any of this — it’s a massive snow job on the public. People who think in terms of us versus them want to force everyone into an either‑or silo. A caste system. It doesn’t make America great; it makes America sick. The division is needless, damaging, and corrosive.
But calling out the problem isn’t enough it seems. The real question is: what do we do about it? Of course, protesting raises the pressure for change but, it takes more. Let’s talk about what can be done as opposed to what’s being done. Explore solutions, separate what’s important from the bullshit, build common interests, and bring out the best of America in a way that’s unmistakable. Through our community media efforts, we can uplift what’s good –- one another. Nourish what’s righteous when we look at reality with clear eyes. Improve lives and counteract the noise and dogma — not tear everything down, which is what we’re watching happen now.
OPPORTUNITY INVITATION: VOLUNTEER/GUEST WRITERS WANTED
With that spirit in mind, we’re inviting you to join the State Street Renegade to publish your stories, articles and other content. This invitation goes out to writers, authors, journalists, and artists from every background. It’s your space to publish, promote, and amplify voices that deserve to be heard — and even if you’re brand‑new to the craft, it’s an ideal place to begin.
Keep in mind, this is not a social media. It is a conventionally styled, online news magazine. Print distribution is a tentative aspiration. A reverse of what we know now i.e., print publishers gravitating to social media. We have seen vinyl records and turntables make a resurgence and film is still around, why not local/regional print publishing? What’s old is new again, yes? The local personal touch builds trust in journalism which is severely lacking in this media glut we find ourselves swimming in.
This initiative reflects our founding mission. The State Street Renegade was created as the people’s publication — a platform for raw truth and unfiltered expression, a public‑access magazine built for the community. The State Street Renegade does not make a profit and is available to the public. Our work is powered by a dedicated team of volunteer writers and journalists from diverse disciplines, all committed to elevating authentic stories. If you have something to say, we want to know about it.
We need your feedback to make this work. Tell us what you think, what you’re interested in. Share your thoughts.
Consider this a look at what’s ahead. Join us — and become a published author or journalist with The State Street Renegade.
Interested? Visit The State Street Renegade at…
statestreetnews.com –subscribe and contact us at editor@statestreetnews.com
For more details including submission instructions and a list of interested topics, go to statestreetnews.com/submissions
Jane Margo
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