CEO’S NOTE

We all know what a stale publication looks like – it’s there, staring at us, unread in a doctor’s o ice waiting room or in a giveaway bag at an event. Publications created for the sole purpose of producing celebratory plaques for advertisers.

Contrast these rags with a thriving, living publication. Publications that capture the moment. Brands that are a force in their market, using consequential journalism to raise significant questions for a community … and answer them. This is where City & State resides. They have their finger on the pulse of the power players. This is what makes City & State special.

The first time I encountered City & State was during the early days of COVID-19. The entire world was watching what was happening in New York City, which tragically had become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders at the city level, as well as its boroughs, surrounding counties and state, were scrambling to contain the virus through new directives, funding policies and through public communication.

At each moment, City & State was there leading the charge. The media company was built on covering the power players’ every move and documenting the consequences of their decisions. In normal times, these are political consequences. But during COVID-19, as we have learned, politics and policy quickly become life and death decisions. New Yorkers were reading the same insights and award-winning journalism as government leaders, all trying to navigate this ever-changing situation.

This trusted commentary and analysis (and loyal following) are the essence of a great media brand. And the very reason we at GovExec are investing in City & State in New York and in new locations, like Pennsylvania and beyond.

GovExec’s mission is to build a suite of tools that support state and local government leaders to do their jobs better, serve their constituents and grow their careers. In time, we envision a stable of City & State publications in key geographies across the country. We can catalyze government by providing everything that government leaders need to achieve their missions, and City & State is a centerpiece of that suite of tools.

Information is as critical as ever. We are continuing to live through an era defined by issues like the pandemic, climate change and social inequity. And each step of the way, publications like City & State will be there documenting the shifting power structure and politics of our cities, states and the country as a whole.

This is central to our idea of how City & State will grow and evolve in the future. We plan to launch in new locations and expand our coverage of these issues and the people driving them. Our vision is that a future generation will look back on this time and see how City & State captured this moment. The power dynamics in New York and other locations will be chronicled by City & State, and the rest will be history.

Tim Hartman CEO, GovExec