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We believe everyone should have access to local news, regardless of your ability to pay. (Likewise, paying more will help support those who can’t pay full price.)
Get Portage County news delivered to your inbox and support local coverage.
We’re Portage County’s locally owned news source. Our mission is to help our community thrive.
With your support, we’ll keep you informed about what’s happening in our community. Join 5,000 other Portage County residents who depend on The Portager for local news coverage.
Can’t afford a subscription right now? Money should never be a reason someone can’t access local news.
Sign up here for free! You get full access to our newsletter and website.
Welcome to our subscription drive. We need to reach 2,000 paid subscribers so that The Portager can continue covering news in Portage County far into the future.
We're now 40% of the way toward our goal!
If we reach our goal, we’ll be able to expand coverage to every township in Portage County, providing valuable news coverage of local government, businesses, charities, obituaries and things to do.
The Portager’s mission is to be a catalyst for ideas and action that help our community thrive. By subscribing to The Portager, you are directly building solidarity and civic engagement through local news and storytelling. Learn more about our mission.
The cost of a subscription is $17/month, but we believe everone should have access to accurate local news coverage, regardless of their ability to pay. If you can’t afford the full cost, feel free to enter any amount. If you can’t afford to pay anything, that’s OK too. You’ll still get access to The Portager, no questions asked. And if you can pay more than $17/month to help subsidize neighbors who are struggling, we greatly appreciate your support and so do they!
Research shows that communities with strong local news sources have lower taxes, less political polarization, more civic engagement and better economies. Your subscriptions help us pay journalists, cover overhead and grow into a sustainable business.
What does your subscription get you?
Our popular email newsletter
The Portager newsletter is your five-minute briefing on everything you need to know about what’s happening in Portage County. Written by publisher Ben Wolford, a Waterloo grad, we send out the email to all subscribers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Give free Advertising
As a Portager subscriber, each year you get to give one free newsletter ad to the Portage County small business of your choice. This lets you multiply the impact of your subscription and drive revenue to your favorite locally owned business. (After you subscribe, contact us at ads@theportager.com and let us know which small business you choose.)
continuous local coverage
We post multiple updates per day on our website and Facebook page, where you can join in the conversation. We cover every city and township in the county, schools and universities. You’ll also find obituaries, local government coverage, small business news, things to do and ways to help your neighbors.
Discounts and perks
Get 15% off everything in The Portager Shop forever. Plus, as a new company, we're always experimenting with new perks and products. As a subscriber, you’ll always get free access to these, whether it’s exclusive events or new podcast episodes.
Frequently asked questions
How can I make a donation?
We aren’t currently accepting one-time donations. But we offer flexible subscription options, and you can cancel at anytime.
Can I advertise in The Portager?
Yep! Contact ads@theportager.com.
Any other questions, please reach us at editors@theportager.com