Mark Richardson: A Career Anchored in Advocacy Journalism
With over three decades of experience across print, radio, and digital media, Mark Richardson has established himself as a trusted voice in Michigan’s political and environmental reporting landscape. His work at Michigan News Connection combines rigorous policy analysis with a focus on grassroots impacts, making him a critical resource for understanding Midwestern governance.
Career Evolution: From Generalist to Policy Specialist
- Early Career (1990s-2000s): Cut his teeth at CBS News and the Associated Press, covering national politics with a focus on Southwest states.
- Transition to Advocacy Journalism (2010s): Shifted to environmental reporting in Texas and Michigan, earning recognition for exposés on industrial pollution.
- Current Focus (2020s-present): Leads coverage of education policy and voting rights issues through Michigan News Connection, syndicated to 1,200+ outlets.
Signature Works: Three Pillars of Impact
- Detroit teacher fears GOP agenda could undermine public education This 2025 investigation into Project 2025’s education proposals combines data from leaked policy documents with emotional first-person accounts from Detroit educators. Richardson traces how proposed voucher systems could divert $2.3B from Michigan public schools, using district budget records and historical funding patterns. The piece’s lasting impact lies in its amplification of teacher voices often excluded from policy debates.
- MSU study: Michigan voter-roll purging could be biased Richardson’s analysis of Michigan State University’s voter data reveals a 14% higher purge rate in majority-Black precincts compared to white ones. His methodology cross-references purge lists with demographic maps, creating a visual guide to potential disenfranchisement. This work has been cited in three ongoing voting rights lawsuits.
- Efforts to ban controversial books continue in Michigan libraries Through FOIA requests and school board meeting transcripts, this 2024 piece catalogues 147 book challenges across 33 districts. Richardson’s balanced approach quotes both conservative parents and free speech advocates, while highlighting the ACLU’s constitutional concerns. The article’s appendix of challenged titles became a community organizing tool.
Strategic Pitch Guidance
1. Lead with Localized Policy Impacts
Richardson prioritizes stories demonstrating how state/federal policies affect Michigan communities. Successful pitches connect legislative proposals to specific districts – e.g., how EPA emissions rules could shutter a Genesee County power plant while creating solar jobs in Lansing. His recent Line 5 pipeline coverage exemplifies this approach.
2. Surface Underreported Education Trends
With 22% of his 2024 output focused on education, Richardson seeks data-rich stories about curricular changes, funding shifts, or teacher retention strategies. A recent piece on Detroit’s music therapy programs combined student outcome data with audio recordings of classroom sessions.
3. Environmental Justice Angles
His award-winning series on Flint water crisis follow-ups shows his preference for environmental stories intersecting with race/class. Effective pitches highlight both scientific data (lead levels, health metrics) and human narratives (resident advocacy groups).
4. Avoid National Political Horse Race Coverage
While deeply engaged in policy, Richardson rarely covers campaign trail theatrics or national polling trends. His 2024 election reporting focused exclusively on ballot measure impacts and down-ballot races.
5. Leverage Academic Partnerships
Three of his five most-shared stories in 2024 cited university research. Successful pitches often pair researchers with affected communities – e.g., UMich public health scholars working with Saginaw residents on asthma cluster analysis.
Awards and Industry Recognition
- 2024 Michigan Press Association Award for Investigative Reporting Honored for exposing discrepancies in emergency lead pipe replacement funding allocations. Judges noted the story’s "rare combination of forensic accounting and compassionate storytelling."
- 2023 Society of Professional Journalists Great Lakes Environmental Reporting Prize Recognized for a six-part series on PFAS contamination in rural water systems, cited by the EPA in new monitoring guidelines.
