The Queen City Express: Vision, Purpose, and Ethos

#LastToFirst | #WeAreCharlotte

Let’s be honest: You deserve better than the stale, watch-the-ad-first local news shoved in your face for years. Andrew Morse—veteran media exec, current CEO of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the guy who once tried to drag CNN into the future—just spelled it out clearly: The old ways of local journalism are done. On The Grill Room Podcast (December 3, 2024), Morse said, “The news industry has a product challenge. It has a business challenge. And it has a journalism challenge.” In other words, what you’ve been getting from local outlets—cheap clickbait, stale coverage, endless pop-ups—isn’t cutting it anymore.

At The Queen City Express, we hear you. You’re tired of being treated like a commodity. You want actual reporting, not another rehashed press release. And guess what? We think Charlotte deserves a local news brand that acts more like a trusted friend than a creepy data miner.

So, What’s the Problem?

Morse nailed it: local outlets used to hide behind old print models and static websites, cut corners, and hope you never noticed. You noticed. For too long, these brands have gutted their newsrooms and bartered away your data for a cheap dime.

Morse’s approach? “You need a team that is expert in all three [product, business, journalism]. You need the ability to pull all of those levers at the same time.” Translation: You want local news that’s modern, financially stable, and worth reading. You’re not asking for miracles here—just some respect.

Charlotte: More Than Your Backyard

Morse points out that local media can and should reach beyond city limits. Why? Because places like Atlanta—and, yes, Charlotte—matter on a bigger stage. Charlotte is pulsing with energy: tech start-ups, a killer art scene, and tight-knit neighborhoods full of prominent personalities. Yet, some outlets still treat it like a minor league farm team, barely giving you context or depth.

That’s where we come in. The Express sees Charlotte not as a “local backwater” but as a cultural and economic hub with real influence. “Because of the internet,” Morse says, “if we cover Atlanta exceptionally well… we can have influence not just in our backyard, but throughout the country.” We’re stealing that play from his playbook and applying it to the Queen City. We know Charlotte’s stories deserve a bigger platform, and we’re building it—thoughtfully, honestly, and with your privacy front and center.

Privacy: Not a Gimmick, a Promise

Let’s talk about privacy because this is where other outlets have sold you out. They’ve been treating your data like a cheap blackjack chip. We refuse. Your trust matters more than some shady programmatic ads. Morse said it best: we’re dealing with a business challenge, which means no more corner-cutting. Our business model doesn’t need to siphon off your info quietly. Instead, we focus on respect. We use first-party data to keep your information locked down like family heirlooms, not swapping it in back alley deals.

No More Church-and-State BS

Morse calls out the old “church vs. state” mindset—where editorial and business barely acknowledge each other. It’s outdated. “The whole notion of business versus editorial is so antiquated,” he says. We agree. Our journalists, product folks, and revenue team sit at the same table (or the same Slack channel) to make sure what we produce meets your needs and keeps us thriving. No factional warfare, no one scribbling away in a silo. This synergy makes us smarter, faster, and more responsive to you— the person we exist to serve.

We’re Not Chasing Ambulances—We’re Chasing Depth

The media merry-go-round tries to spin faster and faster, scrambling to break the news first and offering only hot takes or shallow summaries. Meanwhile, Morse reminds us that people will pay for substance. So we’re embracing “Always last… to breaking news” because what’s the point of being first if you’re just as shallow as the next guy? We’d rather give you the fuller story after the dust settles—context, analysis, and insight you can’t get from a tweet, a blaring cable segment, or a recycled press release.

Charlotte’s Future, on Your Terms

Morse’s AJC proves local news can be essential if it focuses on what truly matters to its audience: from hardcore politics to cultural coverage rooted in Atlanta’s Black community. Charlotte has its magic—its entrepreneurs, sports fans, and artists who repaint old Southern narratives. We’re investing in that fullness. And as we grow, we will hire more journalists who know Charlotte’s heartbeat, ramp up coverage that reflects its evolving identity, and celebrate the stories other outlets ignore or bury behind a paywall full of snoopy trackers.

Call to Action:

• For Readers: Hit subscribe. You’ll get substantial reporting without feeling like you just stepped into a data-mining operation. You deserve news that respects your intelligence and your privacy.

• For Advertisers: Partner with us to reach people who trust where they’re getting their news. No sleight-of-hand, no creepy micro-targeting—just a direct line to an audience who values authenticity.

Final Thought: This Is Our Line in the Sand

What Morse is doing in Atlanta isn’t just theory—it’s a playbook for the rest of us. The Queen City Express is picking up the torch, but we’re not just copying; we’re making it distinctly Charlotte—no clickbait, no user tracking whack-a-mole, no insulting your intelligence. Just the journalism you’ve needed but couldn’t find in this shrinking wasteland of local media.

Jack Beckett’s Signature:
May your coffee be as bold as the truth we serve and as bitter as our rejection of cheap tricks. – Jack Beckett, Chief Caffeine Officer.

On Our Site:
From interviews with Charlotte’s entrepreneurial trailblazers to investigations that peel back the city’s political curtain, we offer more than “local flavor.” We’re digging into what makes Charlotte tick. Expect thoughtful profiles, cultural deep dives, watchdog pieces that hold local institutions accountable, and honest critiques of where we’re all headed. No click-farm nonsense, no slide shows that bait you with “One Weird Trick for City Council Transparency.” Just accurate coverage that respects both your time and your mind.

Check out Andrew Morse’s full interview for the bigger context: The Grill Room Podcast, Dec 3, 2024, and learn how we’re all shifting the script on what “local” means.

#LastToFirst | #WeAreCharlotte