The Arkansas Advocate is a left-of-center non-profit news publication in Arkansas. The publication is operated by States Newsroom (formerly the Newsroom Network), a left-of-center nonprofit that consists of 39 state-level news bureaus including the Arkansas Advocate and additionally operates a Washington, D.C., newsroom that reports on developments in state government and judicial affairs affecting the states.

States Newsroom receives funding from left-of-center funders and does not indicate if any funds are earmarked for specific publications. The Arkansas Advocate and other States Newsroom affiliates claim to be editorially independent from the national organization and its sister organizations. Funders of States Newsroom include AFSCME, the Wyss Foundation, and the Google News Initiative. ¹

The Arkansas Advocate has authored several commentaries critical of former President Donald Trump and other Republicans in Arkansas and elsewhere. ^{2 3 4}

Background

The Arkansas Advocate was launched in August 2022 by States Newsroom (formerly the Newsroom Network), a left-of-center nonprofit that consists of 39 state-level news bureaus and additionally operates a Washington, D.C., newsroom that reports on developments in state government and judicial affairs affecting the states. States Newsroom was originally launched with backing from the Hopewell Fund, a left-of-center funder and fiscal sponsorship managed by left-of-center consultancy Arabella Advisors. ⁵

A past job posting by States Newsroom referred to the organization as a “progressive political journalism startup.” ⁶ In 2020, Gabby Deutch, a correspondent for fact-checking group NewsGuard, criticized States Newsroom in a Washington Post op-ed for being “launched with the backing of the Hopewell Fund, another liberal dark-money group.” ⁷

Arkansas Advocate is the 29^th outlet opened by States Newsroom. ⁸

People

Sonny Albarado is the editor-in-chief of the Arkansas Advocate, working in that capacity since the publication was launched in 2022. Albarado previously worked as an investigations editor, a business editor, a city editor, an environmental reporter, and a government reporter at newspapers in Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana, most recently, working as projects editor for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. ⁹

Two other reporters at the Arkansas Advocate, Hunter Field and Tess Vrbin, also worked for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Another reporter Antoinette Grajeda, previously worked for various National Public Radio (NPR) affiliates and print publications. ¹⁰

Coverage

While ostensibly a nonpartisan news platform, the Arkansas Advocate covers a variety of left-of-center policy issues and promotes left-of-center stances in its coverage including on topics such as abortion, election policy, ballot initiatives, and school choice. ¹¹

One commentary piece authored by editor-in-chief Sonny Albarado states that “If Arkansas claims to protect life, it needs to do more for mothers and infants.” Another 2024 piece was titled “Republicans can’t take ‘yes’ for an answer when Trump says ‘no.’” ^{12 13 14}

1. “Support.” States Newsroom. August 16, 2022. https://statesnewsroom.com/support/.
2. “Home.” Arkansas Advocate. August 16, 2022. https://statesnewsroom.com/.
3. “About.” Arkansas Advocate. January 30, 2024. https://arkansasadvocate.com/about/.
4. “Commentary.” Arkansas Advocate. January 30, 2024. https://arkansasadvocate.com/commentary/.
5. Deutch, Gabby. “A website wanted to restore trust in the media. It’s actually a political operation.” The Washington Post. February 6, 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/06/is-it-local-journalism-or-just-local-propaganda/.
6.  “States Newsroom Hiring Media Administrative Assistant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 23, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/media-administrative-assistant-at-states-newsroom-1362718370/.
7. Deutch, Gabby. “A website wanted to restore trust in the media. It’s actually a political operation.” The Washington Post. February 6, 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/06/is-it-local-journalism-or-just-local-propaganda/.
8. “States Newsroom Launches The Arkansas Advocate.” States Newsroom. August 16, 2022. https://statesnewsroom.com/press-releases/states-newsroom-launches-the-arkansas-advocate/.
9. “States Newsroom Launches The Arkansas Advocate.” States Newsroom. August 16, 2022. https://statesnewsroom.com/press-releases/states-newsroom-launches-the-arkansas-advocate/.
10. “Commentary.” Arkansas Advocate. January 30, 2024. https://arkansasadvocate.com/about/.
11. “Commentary.” Arkansas Advocate. January 30, 2024. https://arkansasadvocate.com/commentary/.
12.   Albarado, Sonny. “If Arkansas claims to protect life, it needs to do more for mothers and infants.” Arkansas Advocate. January 30, 2024. https://arkansasadvocate.com/2024/01/30/if-arkansas-claims-to-protect-life-it-needs-to-do-more-for-mothers-and-infants/
13. Small, Jim. “Republicans can’t take ‘yes’ for an answer when Trump says ‘no.’” Arkansas Advocate. February 7, 2024. https://arkansasadvocate.com/2024/02/07/republicans-cant-take-yes-for-an-answer-when-trump-says-no/
14. Schoenherr, Jessica and King, Jonathan. “Supreme Court heads into uncharted, dangerous territory as it considers Trump insurrection case.” Arkansas Advocate. February 7, 2024. https://arkansasadvocate.com/2024/02/07/supreme-court-heads-into-uncharted-dangerous-territory-as-it-considers-trump-insurrection-case/