Reckon

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Reckon, originally Reckon by AL.com, also known as Reckon South, Reckon News and Reckon Radio, was a social media project launched by the Alabama Media Group in May 2017. The goal of "Reckon" was to engage in "audience-centric, accountability and explanatory journalism," addressing the largest, most pressing issues facing the state, while also highlighting the perspectives of underrepresented individuals and marginalized communities. It aimed to foster nuanced discussions of issues across typical political divisions. It hoped to replicate the successes of "news startups" that geared content toward social media engagement.

The project was developed by Alabama Media Group vice president of content Michelle Holmes, and built on a range of efforts to transition into multimedia content. Reckon's development and early operation was supported by grants from the Google News Initiative, Facebook, the Jim Bettinger News Innovation Fund, the International Center for Journalists, and the Solutions Journalism Network. Hearken consultants of Chicago, Illinois contributed to the design of the project. Its primary outlet was on Facebook, where it shared a variety of reporting along with its own tailored content, and cultivated an audience through "likes" and "follows", from which it garnered subscribers to its email newsletters.

Senior managing producer Challen Stephens and managing producer John Hammontree led Reckon at its start. The outlet's launch coincided with the closely-watched 2017 U.S. Senate special election between Roy Moore and Doug Jones, and much of the discussions on its social media postings gravitated toward that race. In late December, Reckon was criticized by Breitbart News editor Jeff Poor in Yellowhammer News for "taking money from outside groups," and for "showcasing its liberal utopian vision for the state."

In 2018 Reckon partnered with groups including the Montevallo-based David Mathews Center for Civic Life, the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center, and the Virginia based Institute for Justice in live in-person events. Reckon was expanded as part of Advance Media's New Orleans, Louisiana-based "Southeast Regional Media Group", with contributors from several southern cities and partnerships reaching across the country. The "national reckoning" ushered in by the 2020 George Floyd protests provided context for that expansion, which included special-topic reporters engaged with marginalized communities and highlighting stories relating to social justice and solidarity movements.

Ryan Nave took over as project editor in 2020. Other Birmingham-based staff included Abbey Crain, Jonece Starr Dunigan, Katie Johnston, and Ryan Nave. Among the regular contributors to Reckon were John Archibald, Ian Hoppe, Matt Mitchell, Connor Sheets, Kyle Whitmire

Ten of Reckon's staff were laid off in March 2024 due to budget cuts. In January 2025 Reckon was shut down and 11 remaining staff members were laid off. The "Black Joy" newsletter was picked up by New Jersey Advance Media.

Outlets

  • "Ask Alabama"
  • "Honey" newsletter
  • "Black Joy" newsletter, originally the "Black Magic Project"
  • "The Reckon Interview" podcast
  • "Unjustifiable" podcast
  • "Mauled" short documentary
  • "Pulled Over/Pulled Under" short documentary
  • "Reckonaissance"
  • "Reckon Women"
  • "Talking Politics"

References