Cardinal News on Tuesday announced that veteran Executive Editor Dwayne Yancey has been named founding editor.
Yancey, who co-founded Cardinal News along with Executive Director Luanne Rife and several others, will continue writing his popular columns, making public appearances and leading special editorial projects like Cardinal News 250.
“Dwayne is an accomplished journalist and columnist,” said Caroline Glickman, chair of
the board of directors. “He’s perhaps the most recognizable voice of our region, and he
continues to be integral to Cardinal News’ success. We can’t do it without him.”
As Yancey moves into his new role, Cardinal News will soon launch a nationwide
search for an executive editor to oversee news operations.
“When we started, we had a staff of three and no reader expectations because we had no readers. Today we have a staff of 16, a statewide audience and readers who every day rely on us as their main source of news,” said Yancey. “As we look to our next phase of growth, it’s clear that we need to grow in multiple directions at once, and this requires multiple people who can devote their full attention to each of those. I am eager to focus more on the entrepreneurial side of our mission. This seems a natural part of Cardinal’s evolution into something even bigger and better.”
As the independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news site serving Southwest and Southside Virginia, Cardinal News has seen unprecedented growth and success since its founding in the summer of 2021. Among Cardinal News’ 16 employees, 12 are in its newsroom, a direct result of substantial financial contributions from the community. Its newsletter audiences now exceed the readership of all local and weekly legacy newspapers in the region combined.
When compared to nonprofit news organizations across the country, Cardinal is consistently among the top 10% in revenue and audience growth.
“We’ve been so fortunate since our founding to have significant community support,”
Rife said. “Cardinal News is bigger than any one person, and to ensure its long-term success for the sake of our community, we need to find a newsroom leader who will bring us into the future. Today, with this move, we’re taking the next step to ensure our long-term vitality.”