About

Our Mission

The mission of Writers on the Range is to support local journalism by:

Helping the editorial section reclaim its place as the center of community debate and ideas.

Working with the region’s best essayists and thought leaders and paying them for their talent.

Developing editorials about the economic, cultural and legislative change taking place in the west with a focus on natural resources and public lands.

Delivering a weekly feed of one – two editorials – at no charge – to publications throughout the west.

Our Story

Writers on the Range has a 30-year history as the op-ed syndication service of the award-winning High Country News. Paul Larmer and Betsy Marston, the two editors who ran the service for the past 20 years, worked to bring the service to more than 80 newspapers throughout the West.

But local journalism is under threat. Since 2005 more than 2,900 newspapers have shut down; most in small rural communities. Publications hanging on have cut staff and reduced content. Talented editorial writers have been among the hardest hit.

That is why, after a year’s hiatus, we rebooted Writers on the Range as a stand-alone, unaffiliated op-ed syndicate. At no charge, we send one editorial a week to daily and weekly publications throughout the West. 

Betsy Marston edits the service backed by some of the region’s most talented writers and thinkers.

Our funding model is through foundation support and donations. The current business model for local journalism is broken. We must secure financial support as a bridge until a new business model emerges.

To build and maintain local communities, we must have strong local journalism and editorial presence. 

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Once a week you’ll receive an email with a link to our weekly column along with profiles of our writers, beside quirky photos submitted from folks like you. Don’t worry we won’t sell our list or bombard you with daily mail.