City Bureau’s Documenters Network: People-powered news and information
Who we are
A network of newsrooms and community organizations committed to participatory civic media.
What we do
We train and pay hundreds of people to attend under-reported public meetings and publish the results.
The Future is Informed
Your elected officials are making big decisions. Keep tabs with regular notes, real-time social media updates, and multimedia reports from Documenters in your area. Together, we’re building a new public record.
Detroit
Development
May 7, 2025
Detroit Planning and Development Department Denby/Whittier Framework Plan Community Outreach Meeting
Live reporting by
Meghan Rutigliano
Detroit
Politics
May 13, 2025
Detroit
Development
May 7, 2025
Detroit Planning and Development Department Denby/Whittier Framework Plan Community Outreach Meeting
Notetaking by
Marcia Hartman
Detroit
Utilities
May 7, 2025
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department Board of Water Commissioners, Committee Meetings
Live reporting by
Democracy is What You Do
Get involved in our community of practice.
A unique civic education
“How are your tax dollars spent? What are your elected officials doing? Are they listening to you? What is the process? That, as a Documenter, is what you have to show people.”
Susan Carlotta Ellis
Community reporting
“In almost every case for a meeting that I’ve covered, I’ve been the only person connected to the media that has been in the room.”
David Palmer
Local connections
“I've learned from other Documenters… I’ve learned skills that helped me to not just be a better citizen but also inform the type of work that I want to do.”
Isabel Sophia Dieppa
About City Bureau’s Documenters Network
How our public meeting coverage supports local reporting.
How our public meeting coverage tracks policy trends and public input.
How our training modules build civic knowledge and action.
How anyone can become a Documenter in one of our local programs.