ABOUT US
Local ownership
The Bowie Sun is a biweekly community news site covering Bowie City Hall, local activism and area events. This mobile-friendly news site is locally owned with a local slant. Our original reporting is told through the lens of your neighbors in a way that humanizes current topics and trends.
Reputable journalism
Founded by a former journalist, The Bowie Sun is a member company of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). Articles published in the Bowie Sun adhere to the SPJ Code of Ethics and the Associated Press Stylebook:
- We clearly label news, public notices, events, opinion and advertising.
- We do not publish press releases verbatim, and then label it as "news."
- We accept opinions from experts and members of the community.
- We are interested in a range of viewpoints on an issue.
- We identify our staff and ownership.
- We give news bylines to identify the independent reporters who wrote or researched the article. We do not give news bylines to PR professionals, government staff or politicians.
- We identify sources quoted in a news story or provide a valid reason why a source cannot be named. Please do not attempt to post anonymously on this site.
- We do not pay or accept payment for interviews.
- We do not provide all the interview questions in advance.
- We fact-check articles before publication and promptly correct mistakes.
For more information, see the ethics section of our Terms of Service.
All about Bowie
The Bowie Sun prioritizes stories that involve a person or organization in the Bowie area. Bowie's boundaries might seem fuzzy to some residents who have a Bowie mailing address but technically live outside the city limits. Our coverage area includes some of the outskirts:
Fairwood, Glenn Dale, Mitchellville, Woodmore and Queen Anne, places that have had limited news coverage in recent history.
MISSION
Community news
The Bowie Sun is the hometown alternative to other local media that are countywide or statewide in scope and only occasionally cover Bowie. Our core mission is to provide authentic community journalism focused on greater Bowie, a population of 100,000:
- Bowie City Hall: Through the lens of Bowie citizens, explain neighborhood concerns and plans under consideration by the Bowie City Council.
- Bowie area innovators and change-makers: Profile civic groups, innovators and other change-makers and their impact on the community.
- Bowie's elected officials: Conduct in-person pop-up polls: What has your elected official done for your community this month? Localize legislative issues, profile candidates and cover elections.
As we grow, we plan to include coverage of the arts, youth, small businesses and other topics.
BACKSTORY
Why Bowie?
Although the Washington, D.C., region is a major media market, none of the legacy media are laser-focused on the vibrant suburb of Bowie. This culturally diverse city of nearly 60,000 is the largest municipality in Prince George's County.
With 40,000 active registered voters, Bowie is known for its civic-minded residents—the type of folks who pay attention to the news. Many residents desire consistent news coverage of community events, neighborhood concerns, elected leaders and local change-makers.
Rich in history and culture, the Bowie area is home to performing arts and sports venues, museums and centuries-old landmarks, beautiful parks, annual festivals, active nonprofit and business groups and historically black Bowie State University. In the future, we plan to closely cover these broader aspects of the community.
Why now?
The Bowie Sun was formed in November 2021 with a micro-grant from the Google News Initiative. It launched out of a sense of urgency after the closure of a 41-year-old local newspaper.
The U.S. newspaper industry as a whole has steadily declined over the past several years, along with a significant decrease in local government reporters. In a hopeful sign, journalism students have stepped in to help fill the gap in newsrooms across the country.
SUPPORTERS
Academic Partners: During the fall semester, The Bowie Sun serves as a media partner in the University of Maryland Local News Network, a program that pairs student reporters with local news media. In addition, The Bowie Sun recently began offering off-campus work-study opportunities through a private university.
Grants and Fellowships: In 2024, The Bowie Sun received a major grant from Google partner LION Publishers, funds that will be used to grow the business in the coming year. Thanks to a fellowship from the Solutions Journalism Network, The Bowie Sun hired its first freelance reporter to cover "localized" national trends, such as police shortages in Bowie. Currently, The Bowie Sun seeks funding to hire editors and neighborhood reporters.
Individuals: Some of our first financial contributions came from Bowie residents, a sign of your faith in local news. Thank you!
Sponsors: Contact us directly to sponsor an information guide (voter guide, back-to-school guide, etc.). Sponsors must be nonpartisan.
ENGAGEMENT
Hundreds have signed up for the forthcoming Bowie Sun email newsletter. Hundreds more follow the Bowie Sun on social media. Others have shared news tips, opinion pieces or commented on articles. Thank you!
We welcome your suggestions as we work to reestablish community news in Bowie. Here's all the ways you can engage with The Bowie Sun:
Connect with us:
- Sign up for the free email newsletter (Relaunching in 2025)
- Follow us: Twitter, Nextdoor or LinkedIn
- Give us a review on Google.
- Ask a question.
- Send your resume via the Contact Us form below.
Post on our site:
- Post an obituary or public notice.
- Post a classified ad: help wanted, for sale, lost/found.
- Submit an opinion, also known as an op-ed or commentary.
- Announce an upcoming event on The Bowie Sun calendar.
- Recommend a local restaurant, barber or other service.
- Comment on an article.
CONTACT
Catherine Hollingsworth
Founder and Editor
The Bowie Sun
P.O. Box 364
Bowie, MD 20719
info@bowiesun.com
(202) 430-5513