Veteran Montana Capitol reporter launches new investigative news service

Hard-hitting content freely available to news outlets throughout the state

HELENA – Veteran Montana statehouse reporter John S. Adams is pleased to announce the launch of a statewide news service offering high-quality content and analysis to media outlets throughout Montana.

The Montana Free Press seeks to uncover the truth and bring to light important news stories by studying arcane bureaucratic processes, poking around in dark corners of major institutions, digging deep into data and documents, and holding those in power accountable to the people.

On its website, www.montanafreepress.org, MTFP delivers hard-hitting investigations, in-depth analysis, and meaningful coverage of topics and issues that matter most to Montanans. MTFP’s content is freely available for republication in print or online.

“We understand first-hand the challenges today’s newsrooms face when it comes to producing the kind of long-form investigative news and analysis we specialize in,” Adams said. “Our goal is to provide fact-driven, independent reports of statewide interest that help editors and producers supplement the excellent local reporting already being done across Montana.”

MTFP’s coverage spans the Big Sky State with an emphasis on government, politics, natural resources, energy, social justice, health care, and the environment. MTFP works independently and in collaboration with other news outlets to produce meaningful news stories that have an impact on the lives and livelihoods of local communities.

“We intend to work with existing news outlets, not compete against them,” Adams said. “The mission of the Montana Free Press is to expand coverage and broaden the conversations around important issues Montanans care about.”

All original stories published on montanafreepress.org are available for republication or broadcast.

“All we ask for is credit for our work,” Adams said.

The Montana Free Press operates as a nonprofit charitable organization whose mission is to educate people and broaden their understanding of issues that matter to them.

Editorial Independence Policy

MTFP is supported by individuals and organizations who value in-depth, investigative news coverage and analysis. We are an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that retains 100-percent authority over our editorial content.

MTFP accepts gifts, grants and sponsorship from individuals and organizations for the general support of our mission and activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. MTFP may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but we maintain editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content. Acceptance of gifts and contributions does not in any way constitute MTFP’s implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions.

Publish our work

Unless otherwise noted, all stories published on MTFP are published under a BY-NC-ND 3.0 US Creative Commons license. Anyone, including state and regional news outlets, are free to distribute and transmit the work under the following conditions:

  • All stories, graphics, video, photos and images must run in their entirety unless MTFP provides written exception prior to republication. You have permission to edit MTFP material to reflect editorial style changes, changes in time (i.e. replacing days of the week with dates, etc.), and location.
  • All republished content delivered online must contain a link to MTFP and include all of the links contained in our original published story. You may not sell our material separately.
  • You must credit Montana Free Press. For story bylines, please use “Author Name, Montana Free Press.” We will also accept “Author Name, MTFP.org,” if Montana Free Press is mentioned in the body of the story. All other material must be attributed prominently and where appropriate for the material type.
  • Editors must notify MTFP via email when they have published one of our stories online or in print. Please email a hyperlink to the page where the story appears, or a .pdf if republished in print, to [email protected].
  • Any of the above conditions can be waived with advance permission from MTFP. Contact [email protected].

For more information about the Montana Free Press, contact MTFP Editor-in-Chief John S. Adams at [email protected] or (406) 465-9359.