Capital B is ready to open a third local news operation — about two hours east of its first one

The Black-focused national-and-local news outlet Capital B launched in 2022 with a staff of 16 and a first local focus on Atlanta, with plans to expand. Co-founders Lauren Williams and Akoto Ofori-Atta — then editor-in-chief of Vox and managing editor of The Trace, respectively — were looking for “large Black cities that have especially bad local news access” when planning further local expansion, with a particular emphasis on the Rust Belt. Those factors lined up well with the site’s next local launch the following year — Gary, Indiana.

Three years later, Capital B is up to a staff of 25 — six dedicated to Atlanta, three to Gary, and the remainder to the network as a whole. And now its ready to open a third local newsroom — this one farther from the Rust Belt but nearer its original home. The outlet announced today that its next local operation will be in Augusta, Georgia. While Augusta may be best known as the home of The Masters golf tournament — at a famously white country club — the city’s population is about 55% African American.

“This will be our third local market, expanding our Georgia presence and starting off a multiyear growth initiative to provide more local news to Black communities in the state and across the country,” the site said in an announcement.

But before we bring Capital B to a new town, we listen. We’ve spent the first half of the year working with Augusta-native journalists and trusted messengers to gain a deep understanding of the community’s news needs.

We learned that there’s a clear gap in consistent, community-centered local news, particularly coverage that reflects the needs and concerns of Black residents. Augusta’s communities deserve a stronger information infrastructure.

The site has posted its first job opening for Augusta, a founding editor. But it’s not a job meant for outsiders: “Applicants must currently live in the Augusta area or have demonstrated ties to the community.” (One of Capital B’s key findings from those local conversations: “The city runs on relationships. Augusta is a relationship-driven city.”)