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A Year in Review: The People Who Made Syracuse.com's 2025 Stories Count
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Published in Media and Entertainment on Friday, December 19th 2025 at 18:37 GMT by syracuse.com- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
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A Year in Review: The People Who Made Syracuse.com’s 2025 Stories Count
When the newsroom’s lights dim at the end of a long day, the stories that keep Syracuse.com on the map are still humming in the collective memory of its readers. In a candid, no‑frills letter from editor‑in‑chief Maya L. Thompson, the 2025 “Letter from the Editor” gives readers a behind‑the‑scenes tour of the people and processes that turned a handful of stories into the most powerful pieces of the year. Below is a thorough recap of Thompson’s notes, the stories she highlighted, and the team that turned deadlines into headlines.
1. Opening the Door: Thompson’s Greeting
Thompson starts the letter with a warm thank‑you to readers for staying curious and committed to local journalism. She frames 2025 as a “testing ground” for a newsroom that has long navigated a shifting media landscape: from print to digital, from in‑office to hybrid work arrangements, and from a one‑time‑pad budget to a subscription‑driven model. She emphasizes that the people behind the stories—reporters, editors, designers, and community partners—have been the backbone of this evolution.
2. Spotlight Stories of the Year
a. “Clean Water, Clean Future” – The Water Crisis Investigation
Syracuse.com’s investigation into the aging water infrastructure of Syracuse’s East Side earned statewide praise. Led by senior reporter Maria Hernandez and investigative editor Tom Johnson, the story combined data from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, on‑site footage from the Syracuse Water Authority, and interviews with long‑time residents. Thompson highlights Hernandez’s perseverance in uncovering a backlog of 3,500 unserved households and Johnson’s insistence on exhaustive fact‑checking that made the piece an exemplar of public‑interest reporting.
b. “Healing the Hospital” – Patient Safety at St. Joseph’s
A series on patient safety failures at St. Joseph’s Hospital—authored by data journalist Lisa Patel—saw the newsroom team deploy a custom database to track adverse events. Patel’s analysis revealed a 27% spike in medication errors between 2024 and 2025. The letter credits her use of “data‑driven storytelling” as a key factor that translated raw numbers into a narrative that resonated with hospital administrators and families alike. The series led to a formal audit and a $2 million investment in safety protocols.
c. “Voters’ Voice” – Covering the 2025 State Election
The 2025 state election was a logistical juggernaut. Thompson describes how the newsroom’s election coverage, led by political reporter Alex Kim, required coordinating 12 correspondents across multiple counties. The story included interactive maps, polling station trackers, and a live tweet feed that helped keep 42,000 local voters informed. Thompson notes that the project’s success hinged on a real‑time editorial workflow and the contributions of graphic designer Nina O’Connor, whose data visualizations made complex statistics digestible.
d. “Downtown’s New Beat” – Economic Redevelopment
The downtown revitalization story, penned by urban affairs reporter Kelsey Lee, combined on‑site photography by photo editor John Kim with interviews from city council members and local entrepreneurs. The piece traced the impact of a $50 million mixed‑use development, including the creation of 300 new jobs. Thompson lauds Lee’s nuanced approach that balanced optimism with critical scrutiny, and Kim’s photos that captured the transformation of the historic Erie Canal waterfront.
e. “High School Heroes” – Syracuse Orange’s Season
In the realm of sports, the coverage of the Syracuse Orange’s 2025 football season was a highlight. Lead writer Derek O’Donnell leveraged video production teams to create a weekly highlight reel. Thompson acknowledges that the piece’s success hinged on the synergy between O’Donnell’s writing, the production crew’s visual storytelling, and the data analyst, Maya Patel, who offered real‑time game statistics to enhance commentary.
3. The Human Element: Behind Every Piece
The letter is peppered with anecdotes about the people who pulled the pieces together. Thompson calls the newsroom a “family” that’s learned to adapt to a “post‑pandemic hybrid model.” She recounts how the shift to remote work in 2024 initially slowed collaboration, but ultimately fostered a more inclusive environment where junior reporters could experiment with new formats such as podcasts and TikTok segments. The letter praises the fact‑checking squad—led by seasoned fact‑checker Priya Reddy—for their rigorous double‑checking of every claim, a practice that has become a hallmark of Syracuse.com’s credibility.
4. Community Partnerships
A standout theme in Thompson’s letter is the emphasis on community partnerships. She mentions collaborations with the Syracuse Center for Investigative Reporting, the local Library of Congress branch for archival access, and the Syracuse Public Library’s “Data for All” program, which provided training in data visualization for journalists. These partnerships not only enriched stories but also created a feedback loop where community members could voice concerns and influence coverage.
5. Challenges and Triumphs
Thompson does not shy away from discussing the obstacles faced. Budget constraints, a competitive job market for talented writers, and the lingering impact of the 2024 pandemic all tested the newsroom’s resilience. Yet, the letter ends on an optimistic note: a subscription rate that has grown by 15% over the year, and a workforce that has diversified both in skill set and in perspective.
6. Looking Forward
In closing, Thompson outlines future plans: a deeper dive into climate‑related reporting, an expansion of podcast series that spotlight local activists, and a new “Interactive Investigative” section that invites readers to contribute data. She also announces an upcoming town‑hall webinar featuring the editorial team, encouraging readers to ask questions and share suggestions.
7. The Takeaway
The 2025 “Letter from the Editor” is more than a recap—it’s a celebration of the people who live and breathe journalism day in, day out. From Maria Hernandez’s investigative persistence to Lisa Patel’s data‑rich narratives, the letter illustrates that a newsroom’s strength lies in its collective effort. The stories that shaped 2025 were not just well‑written; they were well‑crafted by a team that values accuracy, community engagement, and storytelling that makes a tangible impact.
For readers, the letter is a reminder that every click, share, and subscription fuels the next story. For the Syracuse.com team, it’s a moment of reflection, gratitude, and a promise to keep pushing the boundaries of local journalism into the next year.
Read the Full syracuse.com Article at:
[ https://www.syracuse.com/behind-the-news/2025/12/the-people-behind-some-of-syracusecoms-most-powerful-stories-of-2025-letter-from-the-editor.html ]
