Maine Morning Star is a left-of-center news operation reporting on politics and state-related issues such as tribal rights and the opioid overdose crisis. It aims to promote left-of-center social policy through its reporting. ¹

Maine Morning Star is financed by States Newsroom (formerly the Newsroom Network). Before November 2019, States Newsroom was directly tied to the Hopewell Fund, one of the six major funds managed by Arabella Advisors. ²

Background

Maine Morning Star was founded by States Newsroom president Chris Fitzsimon in September 2023, in Augusta, Maine. It is one of 39 “newsrooms” under the umbrella of States Newsroom, which partners with 11 media groups to cover all 50 states. ³

Maine Morning Star news is separated into five topics: environment, politics, justice, public health, and the economy. Its commentary section is heavily biased and features articles in support of a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, Black Lives Matter (BLM), and environmental regulations. ⁴

It is composed of four staff members in Augusta and a bureau in Washington, D.C. who jointly report on state-level and federal issues affecting Maine. ⁵

It is led by editor-in-chief Lauren McCauley, the former editor of the Maine Beacon and maker of the civil rights documentary film “Mississippi Messiah.” ⁶

Finances

Maine Morning Star receives direct funding from States Newsroom, a nonprofit media conglomerate that was until 2019 a project of the Hopewell Fund. The Hopewell Fund sponsors left-wing advocacy groups such as Equity Forward (Equity Fwd), a pro-abortion organization. ⁷

States Newsroom lists the names of donors contributing over $1,000, which includes large donor-advised funds (DAF) such as the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, the Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund, the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program, the Schwab Charitable Fund, the American Endowment Foundation (AEF), and the J.P. Morgan Charitable Giving Fund. ⁸

Most of its donors are left-leaning individuals or groups, including the Google News Initiative Journalism Emergency Relief Fund, which was created to “support the ecosystem fighting COVID-19 misinformation” and promote diversity through “team culture, recruiting, and reporting.” ⁹ Other left-leaning donors include the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) government-worker union, the  Minneapolis Foundation, the GroundTruth Project, the Network for Good, and the Wyss Foundation. ¹⁰

In 2019, States Newsroom received $1 million from the Wyss Foundation. ¹¹ Between 2016 and 2017, the Wyss Foundation donated over $10 million to the Sixteen Thirty Fund, one of the six major funds managed by Arabella Advisors. ¹²

Ideological Advocacy

Maine Morning Star is biased toward the left due to its strong support for liberal causes, selective reporting, and convenient omissions. ¹³ Examples of left-leaning editorial selection is most evident from the articles including “Why I’m writing in ‘ceasefire’ on my Maine Democratic ballot today,” ¹⁴ “Passivity cannot be the way to support diversity and inclusion,” ¹⁵ and “Maine’s climate wake up call. ¹⁶

Articles promote left-leaning issues such as climate change, social justice, labor unions, and gun control. The website’s bias is strongest in the commentary section, which uses loaded language to promote progressive views while negatively depicting conservatives. ¹⁷

The Maine Morning Star implements diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices and uses such criteria when selecting stories to pursue, choosing sources to consult and crafting language. According to States Newsroom, the reporting and sourcing is pursued with “an eye to diversity and inclusion.” ¹⁸

1. “DEI Policy • Maine Morning Star.” Maine Morning Star.  https://mainemorningstar.com/deij-policy/.
2. “Pew’s Stateline Finds a New Home with Nonprofit States Newsroom.” Nieman Lab. https://www.niemanlab.org/2023/03/pews-stateline-finds-a-new-home-with-nonprofit-states-newsroom/.
3. “Newsrooms.” States Newsroom. https://statesnewsroom.com/newsrooms/.
4. “Home • Maine Morning Star.” Maine Morning Star. https://mainemorningstar.com/.
5. “About • Maine Morning Star.” Maine Morning Star, February 29, 2024. https://mainemorningstar.com/about/.
6. McCauley, Lauren. “Lauren McCauley.” Maine Beacon, June 29, 2023. https://mainebeacon.com/author/lauren-mccauley/.
7. “Pew’s Stateline Finds a New Home with Nonprofit States Newsroom.” Nieman Lab. https://www.niemanlab.org/2023/03/pews-stateline-finds-a-new-home-with-nonprofit-states-newsroom/.
8. “Supporters.” States Newsroom, May 16, 2023. https://statesnewsroom.com/support/.
9. “Impact Report.” Google News Initiative. https://newsinitiative.withgoogle.com/de-de/impact/#partnerships.
10. “Supporters.” States Newsroom, May 16, 2023. https://statesnewsroom.com/support/.
11. “OpenSecrets.” https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6827837-States-Newsroom-1023-Application-Materials.html.
12. Vogel, Kenneth P., and Katie Robertson. “Top Bidder for Tribune Newspapers Is an Influential Liberal Donor.” The New York Times, April 13, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/business/media/wyss-tribune-company-buyer.html.
13. “DEI Policy • Maine Morning Star.” Maine Morning Star. https://mainemorningstar.com/deij-policy/.
14. Hart, Chrissy. “Why I’m Writing in ‘ceasefire’ on My Maine Democratic Ballot Today • Maine Morning Star.” Maine Morning Star, March 5, 2024. https://mainemorningstar.com/2024/03/05/why-im-writing-in-ceasefire-on-my-maine-democratic-ballot-today/
15. Stewart-Bouley, Shay. “Passivity Cannot Be the Way to Support Diversity and Inclusion • Maine Morning Star.” Maine Morning Star, February 1, 2024. https://mainemorningstar.com/2024/02/01/passivity-cannot-be-the-way-to-support-diversity-and-inclusion/
16. McCauley, Lauren. “Maine’s Climate Wake up Call • Maine Morning Star.” Maine Morning Star, January 19, 2024. https://mainemorningstar.com/2024/01/18/maines-climate-wake-up-call/.
17. “Commentary • Maine Morning Star.” Maine Morning Star. https://mainemorningstar.com/commentary/.
18. “DEI” States Newsroom, August 1, 2023. https://statesnewsroom.com/deij/.