{{Short description|Connecticut news website}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = CT Insider | logo = CTInsider-logo.png | type = Daily news, sports and entertainment website | format = Digital | owners = Hearst Communications | publisher = Mike DeLuca | chief_editor = Wendy Metcalfe | website = {{URL|https://ctinsider.com}} }} '''CT Insider''' is a news website launched in 2019 by the Hearst Corporation. The site covers news, sports, business, entertainment and other topics related to Connecticut.
The website, which has offices in Norwalk, Meriden, Bridgeport, Stamford, and Danbury, Connecticut, is part of Hearst Connecticut Media Group's network of local news websites, newspapers and magazine.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hearst.com/newspapers/hearst-connecticut-media-group | title=Connecticut Media Group - HEARST }}</ref> CT Insider is the online home for many of Hearst Connecticut's brands, including Connecticut Magazine, GametimeCT, the Republican-American of Waterbury, the Journal Inquirer of Manchester, and the Record-Journal of Meriden.
== History == CT Insider was started in 2019 as a subscriber gateway to Hearst Connecticut Media Group's newspaper websites. In 2021, the site relaunched as a regional news site<ref>{{Cite web |last=Veseling |first=Brian |date=2021-06-30 |title=Hearst Connecticut launches statewide platform aimed at new audiences |url=https://wan-ifra.org/2021/06/hearst-connecticut-launches-statewide-platform-aimed-at-new-audiences/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=WAN-IFRA |language=en-US}}</ref> covering statewide topics and areas of Connecticut not traditionally covered by Hearst Connecticut's newspapers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Edmonds |first=Rick |date=2021-08-02 |title=How Hearst is conquering Connecticut with the latest in a growing roster of statewide networks |url=https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2021/how-hearst-is-conquering-connecticut-with-the-latest-in-a-growing-roster-of-statewide-networks/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Poynter |language=en-US}}</ref> Some of Hearst Connecticut's other brands and newspapers were migrated to CT Insider's website,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schultz |first=Ray |title=Hearst Connecticut Group Launches News Site, Bolsters Staff |url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/364476/hearst-connecticut-group-launches-news-site-bolst.html |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=www.mediapost.com |language=en}}</ref> including Connecticut Magazine, GameTimeCT and the Shoreline Times. Today, the site covers a range of topics related to Connecticut, including breaking news, politics and elections, business, real estate, entertainment and sports, with a heavy focus on the UConn men's and women's basketball teams and high school sports.
== Expansion == CT Insider has continued to grow, positioning Hearst Connecticut as "a dominant force in Connecticut's newspaper industry."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Larson |first=Andrew |date=2025-02-03 |title=Hearst CT set to close on Republican-American sale |url=https://hartfordbusiness.com/article/hearst-ct-set-to-close-on-republican-american-sale/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Hartford Business Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> In June of 2023, Hearst acquired the Journal Inquirer of Manchester<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bordonaro |first=Greg |date=2023-06-04 |title=Hearst completes JI acquisition; offers jobs to half of newspaper's staff |url=https://hartfordbusiness.com/article/hearst-completes-ji-acquisition-offers-jobs-to-half-of-newspapers-staff/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Hartford Business Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> and began publishing the newspaper's digital content on CT Insider. In late 2023, Hearst finalized a deal to purchase the RJ Media Group,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gambini |first=Hanna Snyder |date=2023-11-27 |title=Hearst CT Media nearing deal to acquire Meriden Record-Journal, parent company |url=https://hartfordbusiness.com/article/hearst-ct-media-nearing-deal-to-acquire-meriden-record-journal-parent-company/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Hartford Business Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> which includes the Record Journal of Meriden, and moved that newspaper's online presence to CT Insider. In early 2025, Hearst purchased Waterbury's Republican-American newspaper with its website moved under the CT Insider banner.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schultz |first=Ray |title=Hearst Connecticut Media Group Takes Over 'The Waterbury Republican-American' |url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/403179/hearst-connecticut-media-group-takes-over-the-wat.html |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=www.mediapost.com |language=en}}</ref>
== Impact of investigations ==
CT Insider reporting on falsified state-police ticket records prompted a statewide data audit by the Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project and a federal probe by the U.S. Department of Justice.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Andrew |date=2024-08-01 |title=Investigation into CT state police fake ticket scandal closed by feds |url=https://ctmirror.org/2024/08/01/ct-state-police-ticket-scandal-closed/ |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=CT Mirror |language=en-US}}</ref> As of October 2025, 18 officers had been disciplined for their part in the scandal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cummings |first=Bill |date=Oct 13, 2025 |title=Seven more punished in Connecticut state police ticket data scandal, records show |url=https://www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/article/ct-state-police-ticket-scandal-troopers-21073496.php |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=CT Insider}}</ref>
In response to a CT Insider investigation into the state disability pension program, Connecticut officials proposed an overhaul to the system to detect and prevent fraud and abuse.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pazniokas |first=Mark |date=2024-04-02 |title=Sean Scanlon proposes tighter oversight of CT disability pensions |url=https://ctmirror.org/2024/04/02/scanlon-proposes-tighter-oversight-of-disability-pensions/ |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=CT Mirror |language=en-US}}</ref> The state reached a deal with state employee unions on the proposed reforms within months of the investigation's publication.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-17 |title=Comptroller Sean Scanlon Announces Reform to State Disability Pension System |url=https://osc.ct.gov/articles/comptroller-sean-scanlon-announces-reform-to-state-disability-pension-system/ |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=CT Office of the State Comptroller |language=en}}</ref>
== Awards == A 2023 investigative series that uncovered Freedom of Information violations in Connecticut's largest city earned the 2024 Mitchell W. Pearlman Freedom of Information Award from the Connecticut Foundation for Open Government,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-13 |title=Connecticut Foundation for Open Government Announces Winners of Third Annual Pearlman Freedom of Information Award |url=https://ctfog.org/pearlman/connecticut-foundation-for-open-government-announces-winners-of-third-annual-pearlman-freedom-of-information-award/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Connecticut Foundation for Open Government |language=en-US}}</ref> as well as the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists' First Amendment Award.<ref>{{Cite web |last=DeBenedictis |first=Gabby |date=2024-06-28 |title=CT Mirror wins top SPJ public service, investigative reporting awards |url=https://ctmirror.org/2024/06/28/ct-mirror-spj-awards/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=CT Mirror |language=en-US}}</ref> The series also won the 2023 Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information's Stephen A. Collins Memorial Freedom of Information Award.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-15 |title=CCFOI celebrates legislative wins, award winners |url=https://ctfog.org/news/newsletters/2023-volume-ix-issue-2/ccfoi-celebrates-legislative-wins-award-winners/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Connecticut Foundation for Open Government |language=en-US}}</ref>
A 2023 investigation that revealed Connecticut State Police troopers had fabricated traffic tickets received a 2024 National Headliner Award, with judges noting the "series exposes everyday corruption, and restores our faith."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.headlinerawards.org/2024-print-photo/ | title=2024 – Print / Photo | National Headliner Awards }}</ref>
A 2022 investigation into accusations that Connecticut State Police had fabricated traffic tickets won the 2023 Mitchell W. Pearlman Freedom of Information Award,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Besthoff • • |first=Len |date=2023-10-02 |title=False trooper ticket story author is 1 of 3 CT open government award winners |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/false-trooper-ticket-story-author-is-1-of-3-ct-open-government-award-winners/3115946/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=NBC Connecticut |language=en-US}}</ref> as well as the Connecticut SPJ's Theodore Driscoll Award for Investigative Reporting<ref>{{cite web | url=https://connecticutspj.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2022CTSPJContestWinners-1.pdf | title=Excellence in Journalism Contest | date=2022 | access-date=2024-10-18 | archive-date=2024-07-16 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716025326/https://connecticutspj.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2022CTSPJContestWinners-1.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>
A 2022 investigation into the use of restraint and seclusion tactics in schools won the Connecticut SPJ's Stephen A. Collins Public Service Award<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-14 |title=Collinsville Press recognized with two Excellence In Journalism awards – The Collinsville Press |url=https://collinsvillepress.com/2023/06/collinsville-press-recognized-with-two-excellence-in-journalism-awards-4/33928 |access-date=2025-11-04 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:Hearst Communications publications Category:2019 establishments in Connecticut Category:Mass media in Connecticut Category:Companies based in Norwalk, Connecticut