Canary Media and the Energy News Network officially merged on February 1, 2025, bringing their newsrooms together under the Canary Media banner.
Canary Media — known for clean energy reporting that’s influential among policymakers and industry players — will now dive deeper into state and regional coverage through ENN’s journalist network and newsletters focused on the Midwest, Southeast, Northeast, and Western U.S.
The result will be more robust reporting on clean energy developments and the stakes for communities across the U.S., plus a larger combined audience of elected officials, clean energy advocates, entrepreneurs, industry professionals, journalists, and concerned citizens.
“At a time of peril for the news industry, with media outlets all over the country laying off journalists, we’re excited to have the opportunity to expand, doubling down on our commitment to report the undercovered stories about clean energy progress and challenges,” said Eric Wesoff, executive director of Canary Media.
In addition, the merger shores up a nonprofit funding model for two organizations that had each been facing an inflection point.
Canary Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2021, last year spun off from RMI, its founding partner, and was focused on diversifying its revenue model, particularly with grant-funded work.
The Energy News Network, a 15-year project of Minnesota policy organization Fresh Energy, was facing a budget shortfall and difficulty developing new revenue streams.
As leaders from Canary Media and ENN met periodically to discuss collaboration opportunities, a bold idea emerged. ENN’s funder connections and state-focused reporting could help Canary Media reach its goals. And Canary Media’s larger editorial team and earned-income program could provide a more sustainable platform for ENN’s work.
“While nonprofit mergers are common, this partnership goes beyond operational efficiency,” said Ken Paulman, long-time director of Energy News Network and incoming director of impact at Canary Media. “This is also a story about taking a more expansive view of the role of journalism and the mechanics of the nonprofit business model to build a more sustainable newsroom.”
The combined entity, with a forecasted annual budget of $3.2 million, will operate under the Canary Media brand and include 20 full-time staff members, including 12 reporters and editors.
