• by Ray Schultz , July 17, 2024

A Washington, DC news startup, The 51^st, has raised $141,934, 56% of its $250,000 goal, through a GiveButter page. On the launch day, Tuesday, it generated $25,000 by 9:25 a.m.

Devoted to hyper-local coverage, the product would fill in the gap left when the DCist was shut down by NPR affiliate WAMU earlier this year. 

"To start, The 51st will be a weekly newsletter,” the crowdfunding page says. “Alongside at least one deeply reported, original story about D.C., we'll help cut out the noise and make sense of the week: from other news and curiosities to events guides and resources. We plan to carry over some of DCist’s voice and sensibility, but what makes our stories special is that they’ll be driven by our conversations with you.”

The page notes, however, that The 51st “needs $250,000 to cover the basic costs of launching a news organization: paying our writers and editors and setting up the infrastructure for our newsletter, website, and community events.”

The staff now consists of six journalists.