From the editor
Running interference
As spelled out on the Madison Metropolitan School District’s website, its communications department is supposed to serve “students, parents, the community and the media by delivering clear, timely and accurate information.” Read more
Jul 10, 2023
Where have the county beat reporters gone?
With the advent of the internet, and the economic damage it has inflicted on journalism, news outlets have shrunk. One of the impacts we have seen locally is the loss of reporters whose sole focus is to cover county government and county issues. Read more
Jun 5, 2023
Straight talk
ChatGPT has seized our attention because of its ability to interact with us in a seemingly human way, says UW-Madison journalism professor Lucas Graves. 'It doesn’t feel like we’re interacting with a machine,' he says. Read more
May 10, 2023
‘Democracy’ and ‘disinformation’ reporters are trending in journalism
News outlets are dedicating considerable resources to covering election disinformation, the battles over voting rules, and the erosion of trust about our democracy, Read more
Apr 10, 2023
Some good news for civics education
“What is most noticeable to me is that the field of civic education is probably the most organized that it has been in my lifetime,” says Michael Blauw, a former social studies teacher who is now an education consultant. Read more
Mar 9, 2023
How sponsorships support Isthmus
Some businesses advertise in Isthmus because it brings customers through their doors. Other businesses support Isthmus because they believe in community journalism and think that good reporting contributes to Madison being a great place to live. Read more
Feb 6, 2023
We persist
Isthmus is a hybrid these days. Still an alt, but a print monthly rather than a newsweekly. We’re also now a nonprofit; but unlike many, we cover culture in addition to news. Making our way in this new world can be both exciting and terrifying. Read more
Jan 6, 2023
10:00 AM
Abortion ruling prompts report on forgotten pregnancy law
There is another side to the abortion controversy, says author Phoebe Petrovic. “Not only are there concerns about how the state legislates terminating a pregnancy,” she says, “but also keeping a pregnancy." Read more
Dec 1, 2022
8:00 PM
Epic reporting
Sometimes parachuting into a story is not a bad thing, says veteran reporter Marc Eisen, who has followed the growth and impact of Epic Systems for more than 20 years. 'You see things with new eyes.' Read more
Nov 4, 2022
10:00 AM
Meet the board of Isthmus Community Media
Opinion | Like all nonprofits, Isthmus is required to have a nonprofit board that oversees the organization’s finances and helps with fundraising, among other things. Read more
Oct 7, 2022
10:00 AM
Novel ways to support a nonprofit
Two donors provide critical aid for Isthmus in unconventional ways. Read more
Sep 2, 2022
11:00 AM
One year later
Any recap of this incredible year starts with Isthmus’ readers and supporters. Our decision to go nonprofit was a leap of faith based on our belief that Isthmus’ longtime readers and fans would step up to support their community newspaper. Read more
Aug 3, 2022
1:00 PM