The Formula That Beat the Associated Press—And Why It Matters for Media Analysis
In just six years, The Center Square became the second-largest newswire in America, behind only the Associated Press—an operation founded before the Civil War.
How did we overtake Reuters, Bloomberg, and every other established competitor? The same three principles that now allow me to decode media manipulation patterns others miss.
Let me explain how performance-driven journalism reveals the flaws in today's media landscape.
How the Formula Reveals Media Failures
When I launched The Center Square using these principles, something remarkable happened. We consistently broke stories that legacy outlets either missed or ignored—not because we're smarter, but because we followed the formula while they abandoned it.
Accuracy failures expose agenda-driven reporting. When outlets rush stories that confirm preferred narratives while slow-walking ones that don't, you can see the bias in their velocity patterns. We report FEMA spending on migrants and disaster relief with equal speed because both are factual government expenditures taxpayers fund.
Velocity problems reveal coordination. When multiple outlets publish nearly identical stories within the same narrow timeframe, but take days to cover contradicting information, that's not coincidence—it's coordinated narrative control. Our newsroom's speed gives us a front-row seat to watch these patterns unfold in real-time.
Frequency gaps show intentional blind spots. Legacy media covers state government sporadically, usually only during scandals. We're in statehouses daily, reporting budget hearings, regulatory changes, and pension obligations. This consistent presence reveals how much essential information never reaches the public through traditional channels.
The Performance That Proves the Point
The Center Square now publishes hundreds of stories weekly, reaching 141 million Americans daily through more than 1,000 media outlets. Our operation includes the Illinois Radio Network and Blue Room Stream—the "C-SPAN of Illinois"—creating a multi-platform government accountability ecosystem.
This success isn't just about business metrics. It demonstrates massive public hunger for journalism that follows the formula legacy media abandoned.
At The Center Square, I preach this mantra with regard to how we produce our content:
Accuracy – We want stories to be right the first time, and when they are not, show the courage to make a complete and clear correction. News media has a real problem not with accuracy, but with admitting when it has fallen. This is still mostly a human business, operated by humans, who are prone to error.
Velocity - Speed across multiple platforms. The Center Square is a newswire service. We don’t dilly dally. We specifically write short, impactful, straight news that is representative of the clearest picture of the news we cover in real time. Like the great UCLA basketball coach John Wooden said, we commit to a mindset of “hurry but don’t rush.”
Frequency - Consistent coverage, not just crisis-driven reporting is critically important. Excellent journalism isn’t drive-by journalism. Not every story merits a second story. But many do, and we should commit to staying with the story – especially when new information comes to the fore.
When you consistently deliver accurate, fast, frequent reporting on government operations, readers benefit. They understand what’s going on. You, as our readers, we want you to understand the news and not just be moved by headlines. As a journalist, it doesn’t cost you anything to care.
Why This Formula Matters for Media Analysis
Every pattern I'll show you in future posts—coordinated narratives, source manipulation, strategic omissions—becomes visible when you understand how real journalism is supposed to work. The same principles that built The Center Square into a major force reveal exactly where and how other outlets are failing.
When you know what accuracy, velocity, and frequency look like in practice, you can immediately spot their absence elsewhere.
That's not just media criticism—it's media literacy based on proven performance.
Next week: The secret ingredient that transforms these principles into breakthrough journalism—and how strategic curiosity reveals what others are trying to hide.