Since its inception in 2016, 6AM City has distinguished itself by publishing hyperlocal content via daily email newsletters in its markets across the country. One hallmark of that coverage: no mention of politics – other than resources about who is on local ballots and how people can vote. That means no candidate visit coverage, no interviews, and no coverage of any candidates other than those participating in local elections. 

Our commitment to neutral, informative election coverage is part of our company principles: “Doing. Positive. Service.” These three principles are the foundation of everything we do internally and externally, and are the litmus test for every piece of content we share. With the 2024 elections on the horizon, 6AM’s commitment to educating and activating to support positive dialogue and growth in the communities we call home is vital for maintaining trust with our readers, who know that they can expect neutrality from our newsletters.

Connection over polarization

Avoiding politics has been baked into the company’s philosophy since day one. In fact, company founders Ryan Johnston (currently CEO) and Ryan Heafy (currently COO) met in 2016 and connected over the lack of positive, engaging news in their hometown of Greenville, South Carolina. Johnston shares that “politics has become more polarizing than ever. When you cover these topics – no matter how hard you try – you are immediately alienating half your audience. People are looking for a place to get away from this type of content.”

By avoiding political coverage, 6AM can differentiate itself and be the sanctuary many readers are looking for. “Brands are continuing to look for these types of environments to connect with consumers,” he adds. “We have chosen to cover the things that get us all excited and bring communities together, not push them further apart.” 

VP of Editorial Erin McPherson notes that our product “offers a ‘safe place’ away from the national and even state level noise of back-and-forth, biased bickering. Because we intentionally do not cover political news — but we do cover outcomes and decided-upon policies — we are better positioned to serve our readers news that actually impacts their daily lives, their experience in their cities, and their ability to inform, engage with and participate in what's happening around them.”

This process of education and activation lets our audience know “when they can take direct action to inform those processes,” McPherson continues. “That has proven more meaningful to our local audiences than reporting on things that ‘could’ happen, or ‘might happen’ in their cities, but are otherwise stuck in the loop of political argument (sometimes for months or years).”

That isn’t to say that editorial teams at 6AM never cover critical, complicated issues. But heavy news topics and local tragedies are still always covered through the angle of positivity, highlighting how communities rally together when times are tough. Markets have also tackled more complex topics like tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales, sports betting, up-and-coming developments, and city plans to support people experiencing homelessness. And, notes Editorial Director Sarah Andrews, “we’ll always work during election season to make sure readers are equipped with the information they need to be able to vote.” By keeping information in the newsletter “relevant, actionable, and serviceable,” markets can provide resources for everyone – regardless of political affiliation. 

A robust framework for support

Team members are supported with processes to ensure they can navigate election seasons with confidence, providing need-to-know information to our readers that empowers them to be engaged citizens. We offer robust Election Coverage Guidelines for our editorial staff, which include tips on remaining neutral and unbiased. These tips include:

• Challenge yourself in evaluating the content you choose to include, and the way you choose to include it. 
• Our brand facilitates productive and positive conversations. This does not mean we cannot cover topics that are critical, challenging, or hard. It simply means we need to remain focused on balance – and prioritize content that celebrates our growing communities. 
• Ask yourself if there is a way to explain the issue in a way that removes emotion. Readers should come away with a better understanding of the topic and feel able to make an informed decision one way or the other, depending on their own viewpoints, not on the writer’s. 

Beyond these crucial reminders, the guidelines also include coverage logistics, including which external sources to rely on (link to a variety of local, unbiased sources and directly to candidate sites), what to do about candidate visits (only cover presidential/vice-presidential visits, and include information for all candidates), and protests (we do not cover these). 

The commitment to neutrality has an impact on internal company culture, as well. “For a team of content creators, 6AM’s decision not to cover politics tends to be met with a sigh of relief,” says Andrews. “Our team knows that political coverage is highly divisive, and that even the best intentioned political coverage can deter readers who feel inundated with that type of news elsewhere. Our products are a safe haven, and should allow readers to walk away enthused about the opportunities in their city and empowered to participate in meaningful ways.”

When our editors do receive questions and feedback about whether we are covering particular conversations, we make sure they are resourced with go-to canned responses they can personalize. These are simple, and editors can customize to indicate whether the topic in question either aligns or does not align with our election coverage guidelines and goals. This empowers editors to filter topics and make final decisions in the local markets they know best, supported by the frameworks we have provided. 

A product audiences and advertisers trust 

Our audiences deeply appreciate our commitment to neutrality. A recent testimonial from a business based in our Chattanooga, Tennessee, exemplifies this: “NOOGAtoday has become a daily gift to Chattanooga inboxes, a Goldilocks-just-right balance of hard hitting headlines, lighthearted fun, and unifying civic news.” 

Robust support and clear communication internally mean that our readers trust the newsletter and come to it looking for community, not conflict. That’s something our advertisers can get behind. 

“The newsletter is a welcoming space for our communities and our advertisers,” shares Rachel Sklenar, VP of Sales. “Our goal is to provide a brand safe environment for our advertisers to be able to connect with readers where they don’t have to worry about being sandwiched in between something controversial.”

Sales Director Julie Brown adds, “Unlike other media sources, advertisers’ ads will never get bumped during a political season to run a political ad. These days, there is political content everywhere you look. Rather than focusing on that, we like to celebrate all of the positive things happening in and around our communities.”

From the beginning, 6AM has chosen to emphasize the “unity” in “community.” “Politics these days are incredibly contentious,” says Managing Editor Josh Kranzberg. “Seemingly minor issues have exploded into hot-button topics. A normal school board meeting could erupt and become the top story on Fox News or MSNBC. At 6AM, we are committed to focusing on how people can be involved in and make a difference in their city.”