{{Short description|Newspaper in North Carolina}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = North State Journal | logo = North State Journal.jpg | image = North State Journal Front Page October 22, 2025.jpg | caption = North State Journal Front Page October 22, 2025 | type = Newspaper | format = Broadsheet | founded = 2016 | publisher = Trip Hoffend<ref>{{Cite web | title=ROBBINS: The conversation continues {{!}} North State Journal | url=https://nsjonline.com/article/2025/08/robbins-the-conversation-continues/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=North State Journal publisher Neal Robbins to join Trump administration’s agriculture department {{!}} North State Journal | url=https://nsjonline.com/article/2025/08/robbins-to-join-trump-administrations-agriculture-department/}}</ref> | publishing_country = United States | owner = North State Media, LLC | editor = Cory Lavalette | headquarters = Raleigh, North Carolina | website = {{URL|nsjonline.com}} | ISSN = 2471-1365 }}
The '''''North State Journal''''' is a statewide newspaper in North Carolina founded in 2016 by Neal Robbins.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Former McCrory administration officials launch newspaper {{!}} The Charlotte Observer | url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article63224062.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302110431/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article63224062.html | access-date=2025-05-29 | archive-date=2016-03-02}}</ref>
The newspaper is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bynum |first=R.L. |date=December 14, 2015 |title=Statewide print newspaper launches next year at time when industry is struggling |url=http://raleighco.com/media-circus/statewide-print-newspaper-launches-next-year-at-time-when-industry-is-struggling/ |access-date=May 10, 2019 |website=Raleigh & Company}}</ref> ''North State Journal'' is owned by North State Media, LLC and is published by Neal Robbins, formerly of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (now DEQ).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jarvis |first=Craig |date=November 30, 2015 |title=Former DENR employees plan newspaper startup |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article47211500.html |access-date=May 10, 2019 |website=Raleigh News & Observer}}</ref> Robbins credited DENR Secretary John Skvarla as the inspiration for the newspaper being in print.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://nsjonline.com/article/2022/07/skvarla-exemplified-to-be-rather-than-to-seem/ | title=Skvarla exemplified 'To be, rather than to seem' | the North State Journal | date=27 July 2022 }}</ref>
== History == The ''North State Journal'' launched in 2016 and at the time had 16 journalists and 10 business-side staff.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last1=Campbell |first1=Colin |title=Former McCrory administration officials launch newspaper |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article63224062.html |accessdate=30 July 2018 |publisher=The Charlotte Observer |date=29 February 2016}}</ref>
In May 2023, the paper's parent company North State Media acquired ''The Chatham Record'' in Chatham County, N.C.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-05-08 |title=Chatham News + Record sold to North State Media |url=https://www.chathamnewsrecord.com/stories/chatham-news-plus-record-sold-to-north-state-media,15867 |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=The Chatham News & Record |language=en}}</ref>
In September 2023, McClatchy sold its Charlotte printing plant to North State Media for $4.65 million. The sale was publicly announced in August. The plant was developed by ''The Wall Street Journal'' in 1982 and sold to the ''Charlotte Observer''’s parent company in 2013. Following the sale, the plant's 30-member staff will stay on at the newly established Charlotte Publishing Company.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mildenberg |first=David |date=2023-09-14 |title=NC publisher buys press from McClatchy |url=https://businessnc.com/nc-publisher-buys-press-from-mcclatchy/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Business North Carolina |language=en-US}}</ref>
In May 2025, North State Media acquired ''Stanly News Journal'' in Albemarle, N.C. from Carpenter Media Group.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-04-11 |title=North State Media to acquire The Stanly News & Press |url=https://thesnaponline.com/2025/04/11/north-state-media-to-acquire-the-stanly-news-press/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Stanly News & Press |language=en}}</ref>
In August 2025, founder Neal Robbins was appointed by President Donald Trump as Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. <ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-08-08 |title=Secretary Rollins Announces USDA Presidential Appointments, Naming More Under Secretaries |url=https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/08/secretary-rollins-announces-usda-presidential-appointments-naming-more-under-secretaries |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=U.S. Dept. of Agriculture |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-08-10 |title=North State Journal publisher Neal Robbins to join Trump administration’s agriculture department |url=https://nsjonline.com/article/2025/08/robbins-to-join-trump-administrations-agriculture-department/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=North State Journal |language=en}}</ref> Trip Hoffend, who was previously president of Charlotte Publishing Company, became publisher of the newspaper after Robbins departed for the Department of Agriculture. Hoffend stated in an editorial in the newspaper that the direction of the newspaper would not change and "our goals remain the same."<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-08-28 |title=HOFFEND: Excelsior |url=https://nsjonline.com/article/2025/08/hoffend-excelsior/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=North State Journal |language=en}}</ref>
== Content == Founder Neal Robbins stated to the ''Charlotte Observer'' that ''North State Journal'' is not partisan, and that it aims for objectivity.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Campbell |first1=Colin |date=29 February 2016 |title=Former McCrory administration officials launch newspaper |publisher=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article63224062.html |accessdate=30 July 2018 |quote=And he stresses that North State Journal isn’t partisan and aims for objectivity. “There’s no such thing as unbiased because human beings are human beings,” Robbins said. “Our goal is to tell the truth.”}}</ref>
The ''North State Journal''{{’}}s opinion section consists only of bylined columns emphasizes "free markets and individual liberty" compared with "center-left" leaning opinion sections of North Carolina’s other major papers.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hutchins |first=Corey |date=March 9, 2016 |title=A plan for a new statewide paper has some observers asking: 'Is this for real?' |work=Columbia Journalism Review |url=https://www.cjr.org/united_states_project/north_state_journal_north_carolina_statewide_paper.php |access-date=May 10, 2019}}</ref> In 2017, the paper published two issues per week, on Sunday and Wednesday.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bynum |first=R.L. |date=February 2, 2017 |title=MEDIA NOTES: North State Journal scales back original plans, will add Wednesday print edition |work=Raleigh & Company |url=https://raleighco.com/media-circus/media-notes-north-state-journal-scales-back-original-plans-will-add-wednesday-print-edition/ |access-date=May 10, 2019}}</ref>
== Awards == In 2024, North State Journal received 16 awards from the North Carolina Press Association, including seven first place awards and First Place for General Excellence in Division B.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ncp.staging.communityq.com/stories/2024-ncpa-editorial-and-advertising-awards,2776 | title=2024 NCPA Editorial and Advertising Awards | date=19 September 2024 }}</ref>
North State Journal collected 19 awards from the North Carolina Press Association in 2022, including third place for General Excellence in the small weekly category.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ncpress.com/stories/2022-ncpa-editorial-and-advertising-awards,2499? | title=2022 NCPA Editorial and Advertising Awards | date=25 August 2022 }}</ref> The paper won the General Excellence Award as the best small weekly in the state in 2018<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ncpress.com/stories/2018-ncpa-editorial-and-advertising-awards,1730? | title=2018 NCPA Editorial and Advertising Awards | date=21 March 2019 }}</ref> and 2020<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ncpress.com/stories/2020-ncpa-editorial-and-advertising-awards,2209? | title=2020 NCPA Editorial and Advertising Awards | date=26 February 2021 }}</ref> as well as second place in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web | title={{!}} North Carolina Press Association | url=https://www.ncpress.com/stories/2019-ncpa-editorial-and-advertising-awards-winners,1985? | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805172617/http://ncpress.com/stories/2019-ncpa-editorial-and-advertising-awards-winners,1985 | access-date=2025-05-29 | archive-date=2020-08-05}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Newspapers published in North Carolina Category:Mass media in Raleigh, North Carolina Category:Newspapers established in 2016 Category:2016 establishments in North Carolina