Jesse Floyd
This week, The Belmont Voice takes the next step in its evolution, launching a comprehensive new website.
The Voice began emailing residents a regular newsletter in June. That newsletter will continue, supported by the website, featuring more robust coverage, access to archived stories, and photos — all you expect from a full-service news website.
“We are really excited to launch our new site. The Belmont community has been incredibly supportive and enthusiastic about The Belmont Voice, and we’re happy to provide a more robust website that will allow people to access the news as well as letters to the editor, obituaries, community photos, and everything Belmont,” said Sarah Caputo, co-president of The Voice’s Board of Directors.
The Voice’s volunteers began meeting last year, spearheaded by resident Jane Sherwin. The group spent the last 12 months raising money and awareness, while planning for the eventual launch of a weekly newspaper. Following the newsletter, the next step was hiring Editor-In-Chief Jesse Floyd, who started in November.
The staff is planning to launch a weekly print newspaper, mailed for free to everyone in Belmont, in early 2024.
The Voice is among a growing number of local news startups, which began cropping up to combat news deserts created when large national news organizations abandoned hyperlocal news. Northeastern Professor Dan Kennedy has tracked more than 200 nonprofit news sites in Massachusetts, which include both print and digital publications.
