Soros-Backed News Outlet Begins Publishing in Nebraska

by Lewis Thune

Courier Newsroom, a property of Good Information Inc., has expanded its operations to Nebraska as of this month and is now poised to operate in 20 states by the end of 2026.

The social and digital media-based news company announced its expansion into 9 additional states in February. Its Nebraska affiliate began operations on June 1 with a story about the legal impediments medical marijuana currently faces in Nebraska.

Courier was initially launched in 2019 by ACRONYM, a digital media political advocacy group, under the leadership of ACRONYM co-founder and Democratic strategist Tara McGowan. Good Information Inc., a public benefit corporation also founded by McGowan, acquired Courier Newsroom from ACRONYM for an undisclosed sum in 2021.

(Tara McGowan/Picture credits Courier Nebraska)

Its notable backers include George Soros and Reid Hoffman, along with the Progressive State Leaders Committee and Planned Parenthood.

Courier is not shy about its progressive values. Its website credits funding to Good Information Inc. and philanthropic underwriters consisting of “Values-aligned individuals, nonprofit organizations, and advocacy groups, including those working to protect and advance reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ equality, climate and conservation, gun control, workers’ rights, voting rights, and democracy issues.”

Its mission statement reads, “Courier is an independent advocacy news/media network that builds a more informed, engaged, and representative America by reaching audiences where they are online with factual, values-driven news and analysis.”

As to what value-driven news and analysis means, the page also offers a quote from former Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times editor Mark Jacob:

“It would be good to see more news organizations producing factual news from a variety of viewpoints, including from the left. As I said, objectivity is a myth. Journalists can lead with their values and still remain faithful to facts. A few organizations are doing that, such as Courier.”

The organization lists these values below.

“We will never manufacture ‘both sides’ to our stories, giving equal weight to conspiracy theories or junk science. We will always provide proper context in our reporting to help ensure we don’t continue the spread of misinformation or disinformation.”

Courier touts its emphasis on social media, video, and graphics. Before founding ACRONYM, McGowan spearheaded digital production and advertising efforts in support of Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign and Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign.

Courier Nebraska’s listed staff consist of a publisher – McGowan – and a sole correspondent, the Lincoln-based Chase Porter, who authors news and culture stories in addition to the website’s newsletter. Porter is a former reporter and anchor for KLIN News.

(Chase Porter)

Courier Nebraska appears to share Courier Newsroom’s left-of-center mission in full.

“Many of our stories cover efforts to strengthen communities, expand access to health care and child care, address the climate crisis, and reduce inequality in all forms,” the Courier Nebraska website reads. In the same entry, it lists beliefs in “A living wage for a hard day’s work, a quality education for all families, a Nebraska representative of all citizens, and a strong democracy,” beliefs its contrasts with “fear and lies” and the machinations of “politicians and wealthy CEOs.”

Visitors to the site will note that is News section is presently organized into five tabs: Cannabis, Civil Rights, Elections, LGBTQ, and Politics.

And as Courier expands to Nebraska and beyond in 2026, McGowan believes audiences will be more receptive to its progressive bent, as she told Axios when the expansion was announced in February:

“We were a first mover. We took a lot of flak in the beginning, but now we’re joined by a community of left-leaning media entities that are no different than us.”

— Lewis Thune is a writing fellow with The Plains Sentinel.