The bilingual nonprofit outlet adds audio and reaffirms its commitment to independent journalism in a deeply challenging media landscape.
In a country where more than 3,500 local newspapers have closed since 2005 — an average of two per week — and over 45,000 reporting and editing jobs have disappeared, Itempnews marks six years online. Not as a corporate expansion story, but as an independent project operating in a profoundly transformed media ecosystem.
Itempnews was founded in 2020, just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic brought the United States to a standstill and reshaped public, economic, and social life nationwide. In that moment of uncertainty, the outlet focused from the beginning on delivering verified data, reliable information, and human-centered reporting that captured the lived reality of the crisis. Through an early partnership with Diario Las Américas in Miami, the team published a dozen collaborative stories examining how the pandemic reshaped everyday life in local communities.
“I’m not sure it’s elegant to say we ‘survived’ another year,” said Frank López Ballesteros, editor and publisher of Itempnews. “But when you look at the thousands of newspapers that have closed and the massive loss of journalism jobs over the past two decades, sometimes the right word isn’t growth or expansion — it’s resilience. And in that sense, yes: we’re still here.”
As part of its next phase, Itempnews is introducing audio versions of its stories. The outlet partnered with ElevenLabs to develop a voice tailored to its content in both English and Spanish, enhancing the user experience while recognizing its bilingual audience.
Itempnews combines artificial intelligence tools for translation with human editorial oversight. Articles are reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by journalists to ensure accuracy and rigor. Technology serves as a tool; editorial responsibility remains human.
Since its launch, Itempnews has relied on the technical and strategic leadership of Carlos Tagliafico, senior editor, enterprise and strategic initiatives, who has overseen the site’s digital architecture and initiatives designed to strengthen user experience, including the recent audio integration. Many of the investigations and long-term editorial projects that have shaped the outlet’s direction have emerged from strategic editorial sessions in which he actively participates, ensuring thematic coherence and investigative focus.
Itempnews does not operate from a skyscraper newsroom or traditional physical office. All editorial work is carried out remotely from the homes and workspaces of its contributors. Strategic meetings, editing, and daily coordination take place through digital platforms and lengthy virtual sessions that often extend beyond typical hours. This flexible structure has allowed the outlet to maintain operational independence, reduce overhead, and focus resources on what matters most: the journalism.
Itempnews operates as a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to in-depth reporting on issues of public interest.
While maintaining a strong editorial focus on South Florida, Itempnews also reports on national issues, particularly when federal policies, immigration enforcement actions, and regulatory changes directly affect communities in the region.
In the coming months, the outlet will strengthen its coverage of high-impact breaking news — from changes to tax filing regulations to the consequences of immigration enforcement actions — while maintaining its commitment to context and depth.
“In immigration coverage, particularly in what many view as an increasingly draconian enforcement environment, it is essential to provide verified data and clarity about how these decisions affect people’s lives,” López Ballesteros added.
Itempnews currently has dozens of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests pending before federal and state agencies. Several of those requests are under review, and the outlet will publish its findings as documents are released, reaffirming its commitment to journalism grounded in documentary evidence.
As a nonprofit organization, Itempnews depends on the direct support of its readers to continue operating. In an era when traditional journalism funding models have significantly weakened, audience financial support is essential to preserving editorial independence and ensuring the project’s continuity.
Donations — from $1 to any amount readers can afford — allow the outlet to maintain autonomy and continue developing impactful public-interest reporting.
Six years later, this anniversary is less a celebration than a reaffirmation: independent journalism remains necessary, and as long as there is a community willing to support it, Itempnews will remain here.