The Long Beach Post is a local news organization located in and focused on Long Beach, California. It claims to have the longest reach of all media located in the city. ¹

It was organized in 2023 as a nonprofit by merging two formerly commercial media outlets, the Long Beach Post (founded 2007) and the Long Beach Business Journal (founded 1987). The Post is funded by donations, advertisements, and reader subscriptions. ^{2 3}

Founding and History

The Long Beach Post was organized into a non-profit in 2023 by combining two previously for-profit Long Beach local media outlets, the Long Beach Post and the Long Beach Business Journal. The Long Beach Business Journal was formed in 1987 and the Long Beach Post was founded in 2007. The Post had gone through various ownership changes before combining with the Journal and converting into a non-profit. ⁴

The Post reports that it has the largest news reach of any media organization in Long Beach, claiming an average of 1.6 million monthly views, 250,000 social media followers, and 40,000 subscribers. ⁵

In addition to regular reporting on local issues and events, the Post has conducted a series of investigations into homelessness in Long Beach. It notes that despite large amounts of public money being spent on the issue, the holes population has increased by 62 percent in two years. In 2024, the Post reported that 111 homeless people had died in Long Beach in the preceding year. ⁶

Financials

The Long Beach Post was established as a nonprofit in December of 2023. As of May 2024, it does not have any public financial filings available for review. ⁷

The newspaper is funded by advertisements, donations, and reader subscriptions. The paper has a policy of disclosing all donors of over $5,000. As of May of 2024, these donors include various local businesses, colleges, the Port of Long Beach, and the Office of the City Manager of the City of Long Beach. ^{8 9}

Leadership

Melissa Evans is the CEO of the Long Beach Post. She has worked as a journalist since 1997 and has covered a variety of topics including healthcare, religion, and local government. She teaches journalism at California State University Long Beach. ¹⁰

Matt Kinley is the chair of the board of directors of Long Beach Journalism Initiative Inc., the nonprofit that publishes the Long Beach Post. He is an attorney in the Long Beach area who is involved in various civic organizations. He has practiced law since 1996. ¹¹

1. “Supporting Our Work.” Lbpost.com. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://lbpost.com/about/supporting-our-work/.
2. “Our Donors.” Lbpost.com. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://lbpost.com/about/our-donors/.
3. “Supporting Our Work.” Lbpost.com. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://lbpost.com/about/supporting-our-work/.
4. “Who Owns the Post?” Lbpost.com. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://lbpost.com/about/who-owns-the-post/
5. “Supporting Our Work.” Lbpost.com. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://lbpost.com/about/supporting-our-work/.
6. Long Beach Post Investigations. “Locked out: Homelessness in Long Beach • Long Beach Post Investigations,” March 12, 2024. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://lbpost.com/investigations/.
7. “Tax Exempt Notification.” IRS.gov, n.d. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/dl/FinalLetter_93-4121848_LONGBEACHJOURNALISMINITIATIVEINC_11202023.pdf.
8. “Our Donors.” Lbpost.com. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://lbpost.com/about/our-donors/.
9. “Supporting Our Work.” Lbpost.com. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://lbpost.com/about/supporting-our-work/.
10. Beach, 1250 Bellflower Boulevard Long, and California 90840 562.985.4111. “Melissa Evans – Journalism.” CSU.LB.edu. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://cla.csulb.edu/departments/journalism/people/faculty/melissa-evans/.
11. “Matt Kinley | Kinley Law Practice.” Kinley Law Practice. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://www.kinleylawpractice.com/matt-kinley-attorney.