The new publisher of the digital local news organization The Roanoke Rambler said Tuesday that contract proposals that led to the departure of the Rambler’s three staff journalists were necessary for the publication’s financial sustainability.
Ollie Howie, an entrepreneur who grew up in Roanoke, bought the Rambler on March 30 from Henri Gendreau, the Rambler’s founder. The sale price was not disclosed.
The Rambler’s former managing editor, Todd Jackson, and two former reporters, Jeff Sturgeon and Sinclair Holian, said Monday that their employment was terminated Friday after they declined to sign the new contracts, which they said offered lower base pay and other changes.
In a news release Tuesday, Howie said that the Rambler’s finances couldn’t support the existing salaries and that the proposed new contracts offered “a livable hourly wage, equity participation, and performance-based incentives, a model designed to give journalists both immediate support and long-term ownership opportunities.”
Howie declined to provide further details Tuesday. Gendreau and Sturgeon — who sent a statement Monday on behalf of himself, Jackson and Holian — declined to comment Tuesday.
“The last few weeks have brought understandable concern,” Howie said in the release. “Change is never easy, especially in a newsroom that means as much to this community as the Rambler does. Our decisions have been guided by integrity, respect for our team, and a mission to ensure this publication thrives long-term.”
Gendreau said Monday that before the sale, he had felt assured that Jackson, Sturgeon and Holian would remain on board at their same compensation and that their termination left him feeling “shocked” and “betrayed.”
A “letter to our subscribers” published Tuesday under the Rambler’s byline said that the new leadership had always maintained that new contracts would be required because the Rambler’s monthly salary costs exceeded revenue.
“We also offered previous ownership an opportunity to buy the company back within the same week as the transaction, but we did not hear back from him regarding the offer,” the letter states.
The Rambler’s revenue comes from recurring subscriptions, one-time donations of varying amounts, advertisements, sponsorships and grants. The website states that most of its money comes from paying members.
The Rambler’s website states that it has more than 11,000 email newsletter subscribers. Not all are paying members.
The letter stated that the Rambler has nearly 830 paying subscribers who generate about $6,800 in monthly revenue but said that the Rambler costs about $4,000 per week to operate, “a challenge for any independent news source.”
“We’re building forward. The new corporate structure allows us to offer competitive hourly pay that is better than or on par with local living-wage hourly standards, and equity opportunities which we offered to the team, so our journalists can be true partners in the Rambler’s future,” the letter states.
The Rambler plans to announce a new slate of reporters soon, according to the news release, and will begin offering “‘Community Correspondent’ opportunities for local writers to participate in coverage.”
It plans to hold annual community forums, question-and-answer sessions with readers and annual financial updates “to show where resources are being reinvested in journalism,” according to the news release.
Gendreau had published financial updates three times a year but stopped in late 2024, saying the breakdown of revenue and expenses changed little.
Howie said Tuesday that Roanoke “shaped who I am” and that he takes seriously “the responsibility to keep its stories alive.”
“We’re rebuilding with care, accountability, and deep respect for our readers and contributors. This is a moment not of loss, but renewal,” he said.
Howie graduated from William Fleming High School and Harvard University. He is the founder and managing partner of Mount Auburn Venture Partners, which invests in startups and established companies, according to its website. He serves on Roanoke’s economic development authority.
Gendreau, a former reporter for The Roanoke Times, founded the Rambler in 2021 to focus on local investigative journalism and literature. Through its website, weekly email newsletter and social media channels, the Rambler has featured work from freelance journalists in addition to its regular staff.
Jackson and Sturgeon also formerly worked for The Roanoke Times. Holian came to the Rambler via Report for America, a national program that helps place journalists in local newsrooms.
