Revealing Catholic Church abusers – May 2023

The Banner has so far identified six alleged abusers whose names were redacted in the Maryland Attorney General’s report on Catholic Church abuse. This important accountability journalism does the heavy lifting that the AG’s Office failed to do.

Ending illegal police quotas – March 2023

Maryland State Police said they would end illegal quotas for tickets; the acting superintendent said he was unaware of the practice until he read about it in The Banner.

Changing how sexual assaults are reported – March 2023

Baltimore County said it would change the way they publicly report the number of cases of sexual assault after a story by Taylor DeVille and Nick Thieme, which showed that the county reported higher case numbers to the FBI than they released to the public.

Improvements to city eviction prevention programs – October 2022

Our reporting on rental assistance delays that left Baltimore tenants at risk of eviction led Baltimore City to announce improvements to its eviction prevention programs, including committing an additional $400,000 to a program that provides legal representation to tenants facing eviction along with other measures.

A home for an artist – May 2023

Formerly unhoused Druid Hill Park artist Colin Williams now has a permanent place to live, prompted in part by coverage of him by neighborhood reporter Jasmine Vaughn-Hall. Her stories raised awareness among housing officials of his plight.

Baltimore Pianist’s story lives on through her piano – December 2022

The incredible story of pianist Agi Jambor’s life was highlighted by The Banner, including her journey from the greatest teachers of 1930s Berlin to the dance studios of Paris and the Budapest underground during the Nazi occupation. She went on to achieve a successful career recording music in America, only to have her historical significance fade into obscurity. The story of her path to Baltimore lives on through her piano, which is privately owned by a member of the Baltimore community. The story sparked major interest and an outpouring of appreciation for her music and legacy from readers including professional musicians.

Redevelopment of the Highway to Nowhere – March 2023

Our reporting illuminated important community issues related to the city’s controversial redevelopment plans for West Baltimore’s ‘highway to nowhere.’ A 1.4-mile stretch of road that was never completed, it has caused displacement and division for the neighborhoods around it. Many residents are wary of the redevelopment because of the history of past infrastructure dollars being funneled to wealthier, whiter, more privileged communities, as well as the lack of forethought that went into this unfinished and disenfranchising project.

Investigating tax sales in Baltimore – January 2023

A months-long investigation into the property tax sale system in Baltimore found that it disproportionately affects low-income homeowners and leads to prolonged vacancy in disinvested areas of the city. Since 2016, more than 41,000 properties have gone through tax sale, with properties in majority-Black census tracts being hit hardest. Lien holders profit from flipping houses acquired at tax sale and from collecting interest on outstanding tax liens, while homeowners face thousands of dollars in owed taxes, interest, and fees. In April, the mayor announced that 2,000 Baltimore homes valued below $250,000 would be excluded from the tax sale.

Coverage on compounding issues in childcare for Latino families – August 2022

One of our neighborhood reporters wrote about the barriers that Latino families face in accessing child care. Highlighting one of the fastest growing populations in Baltimore, the story identifies compounding issues including lack of Spanish-speaking childcare providers and daunting voucher and scholarship programs. The piece spotlights community groups such as the Esperanza Center that helps Latino parents fund daycare options.

Awards We’ve Won!

The Banner has created an award-winning workplace culture in its recognition as a 2023 Baltimore Business Journal Best Places to Work Finalist. Banner journalists won 48 reporting awards from the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association, including five “Best of Show” awards that recognize the top overall entry among all the nominees in a category. This was particularly notable given that The Banner only had six months of stories for consideration. We also won an Award of Excellence from the Society for News Design for our video design on multiple social platforms. Our reporter, Adam Willis, also won the Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award.

BNEXT Internship Program & Newsroom Fellowships

BNEXT Youth Internship program is designed to provide young aspiring journalists an opportunity to experience working in a digital-first, nonprofit start-up news organization. Since the program’s launch, The Banner has offered paid summer internships to 14 local college and high school students. Our newsroom and reporters have been recognized with prestigious fellowships, including our selection to host a Report for America corps member, a program designed to place talented emerging journalists with local news outlets across the country. Two Banner reporters are recent recipients of fellowships with the Poynter Institute, and one reporter received a Roy W. Howard fellowship.

Community Events

The Banner has hosted over 20 events with more than 2,300 people attending. This includes a new series, The Banner Revealed, which features panels of Banner journalists breaking down the methodology behind their reporting; discussions with authors; several events focused on civic engagement and politics; and ticked events including Kitchen Undisclosed; Chef and the Farm; and Wine on the Waterfront.

Economic Impact of The Banner on Baltimore & Maryland

Since our launch, The Banner has hired 24 people who relocated to Baltimore and the region and created over 100 new jobs in total. This addition of talent to the city is helping bolster our local economy, and we estimate the value of our impact at $4.7M in gross wages. Our overall impact locally includes significant economic investment by staff living and working in the city, contributing to state and local tax revenue, and supporting local businesses.