(Credit: Fideri News Network)
From the founding of our republic, the health of our civic life has rested upon a simple but profound truth: a free and independent press is not merely a feature of democracy—it is one of its chief guarantors. The framers understood that liberty is not self-perpetuating; it must be renewed through informed citizens, accountable institutions, and a shared commitment to truth that transcends partisan preferences.
It is with that conviction that I share news of a significant milestone. Broad + Liberty has acquired Access Network, bringing together two of the fastest-growing media organizations in our region under one banner: the Fideri News Network.
With this step, we are creating one of the largest native digital media audiences in Pennsylvania, serving communities from Harrisburg to Philadelphia to the Jersey Shore, and beyond.
Our expanded platform will offer robust high school, college, and professional sports coverage, commerce and cultural reporting, and hyperlocal journalism that reconnects readers to the issues unfolding in their own backyards. In uniting our resources, we aim to confront a challenge that has grown acute: the accelerating disappearance of local newspapers, and with it, the erosion of the public square at the community level.
The choice of the name Fideri—from the Latin “to trust” or “to be faithful”—is deliberate. Trust is not an entitlement of the press; it is a covenant with the reader, earned through consistency, rigor, and moral courage. In Latin, fideri means more than personal reliability—it means fidelity to the bonds of trust that uphold institutions, civic life, and the public good.
Fidelity in journalism is to recognize that our work does more than record events—it shapes our civic conscience. It reflects the lived realities of our neighbors and provides the compass by which communities chart their collective future.
This acquisition follows two others underlining our broader vision: the integration of PoliticsPA, Harrisburg’s go-to political news platform, and WBCB Radio, a longstanding voice for local news, sports, and civic dialogue in southeastern Pennsylvania. Each represents an essential element of the architecture of an informed society—political literacy, community storytelling, and the shared cultural moments that bind us together.
At the same time, we are candid about our sensibilities as a news organization. Fideri News Network champions the taxpayer, encourages growth, supports civic education, and believes we are at our best when we celebrate the ideals that fulfill the uniquely American promise of opportunity for all.
These are not partisan slogans, but civic commitments. They reflect our belief that strong communities are built when government is accountable, enterprise is encouraged, innovation is dynamic, and individuals embrace their God-given responsibility for themselves and their neighbors.
The editorial product is focused on readers rather than agendas, a business model that works in local media, and is highly scalable.
Too often, national narratives dominate our media landscape at the expense of substantive local coverage. Yet it is at the local level—the school board meeting, the county budget hearing, city hall—where the democratic habit is formed and tested. By strengthening our presence in these arenas, we are not merely growing a media company; we are investing in the civic infrastructure that sustains a self-governing people.
The path we are charting is not without its difficulties. To rebuild trust in media in an age of cynicism and polarization requires both intellectual rigor and principled restraint. It demands that we hold ourselves to the highest standards of accuracy, fairness, and clarity, even—and especially—when doing so is inconvenient.
In this work, we see ourselves as stewards, not proprietors, of a tradition that predates us and will outlast us if we tend to it faithfully. The press is, in the words of Alexis de Tocqueville, the “chief democratic instrument of freedom,”— a moral instrument for the advancement of the public good.
As Fideri News Network grows, so too does our obligation to the citizens we serve. We will continue to inform with clarity, challenge with civility, and hold power to account without fear or favor. In doing so, we hope to not only chronicle the events of our time but to help secure the conditions for liberty in its own cradle.
For long-time readers of Broad + Liberty, thank you for all that you have done to bring us to this point. For those reading your local news site and connecting the work our reporters do everyday in your community with these ideals, we cannot realize these aspirations as an organization without you. For those dedicated readers of OnPattison and listeners of WBCB, you know that sports are more than scores and standings—they are woven into our civic fabric, a shared culture that unites neighborhoods, inspires pride, and strengthens our region. To every one of you, welcome to Fideri News Network, we are grateful for your trust and engagement.
As always, stay broad-minded,
Terry Tracy
Founder, Broad + Liberty
Publisher & Chief Executive Officer, Fideri News Network
For a listing of all sites, visit fiderinews.com
