Introducing The Austin Current: A new voice for Central Texas

By Sonal Shah, The Texas Tribune.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Austin Current , a bold, new local newsroom built to keep pace with Austin’s explosive growth. Our mission is simple but urgent: deliver journalism that is innovative in approach, uncompromising in standards and deeply connected to the needs of our community.

When we imagined this newsroom, we envisioned more than headlines. We want to become a civic resource that closes information gaps, builds trust through collaboration and provides timely and relevant coverage that matters to Austinites.

“We’re creating a different kind of newsroom – one that listens closely to the community and delivers the coverage that matters most,” Editor-in-Chief Melissa Taboada says about the Current. “Our mission is to empower residents across the Austin area with trusted, relevant information that helps them engage more deeply with their community and work to address the challenges we all share.”

The Austin Current builds on the strong foundation we established with our acquisition of The Austin Monitor. Under the leadership of Taboada and General Manager Joel Gross, our team will double down on accountability reporting, because transparency and oversight matter in a fast-growing region.

But we won't stop there. Through extensive conversations with community leaders and Central Texas residents, we heard you clearly: The region needs comprehensive coverage of education and growth. These are the issues shaping our region's future, and we're committed to covering them with the depth, context and clarity they deserve.

We also know that we are stronger when we work together. That’s why The Austin Current is partnering with KUT News on " Austin Signal ," a new 30-minute show bringing Central Texans the headlines, features and stories that remind us why this city is a vibrant place to live. This is just the beginning: We are eager to build an even stronger relationship with KUT and other organizations to amplify and strengthen local storytelling.

Most importantly, this newsroom belongs to Austin. We want to hear from you, get your insights, story tips and feedback. As we grow, your input will help shape how The Austin Current serves this community we call home.

Together, we will build a newsroom that grows with Austin, one that understands the unique challenges of rapid change and seizes the opportunities it brings. We want to serve as a resource to Central Texas residents to stay engaged and help find solutions to our shared challenges.

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans and engages with them about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.