Welcome to the West Virginia Explorer Newsroom! Since 1999, West Virginia Explorer has helped readers discover the people, places, history, culture, and natural beauty of the Mountain State. Today, our newsroom also provides original reporting on tourism, outdoor recreation, heritage, business, education, conservation, public affairs, and community life across West Virginia.
Our mission is simple: we’re here to help people better understand West Virginia through accurate, independent, and engaging journalism.
Whether you’re a lifelong West Virginian, a former resident, a visitor planning your next adventure, or someone discovering the state for the first time, we strive to produce reporting that is trustworthy, informative, and relevant.
Our Commitment
West Virginia Explorer is committed to:
- Reporting accurately and fairly.
- Correcting errors promptly and transparently.
- Clearly distinguishing news, features, commentary, and sponsored content.
- Citing reliable sources whenever possible.
- Treating sources and readers with respect.
- Preserving and documenting the history, culture, and landscapes of West Virginia.
- Producing journalism that serves the public interest.
What We Cover
Our newsroom regularly reports on:
- Breaking news affecting West Virginia communities
- Travel and tourism
- State and local government
- Outdoor recreation
- History and heritage
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Conservation and wildlife
- Economic development
- Festivals and events
- Small towns and rural communities
- Historic preservation
- Business and entrepreneurship
Our editors also produce in-depth features and explanatory journalism designed to provide readers with context beyond the daily headlines.
Our Editorial Process
Every story published by West Virginia Explorer is reviewed by an editor before publication. Depending on the subject matter, reporting may include interviews, public records, government documents, historical archives, academic research, field reporting, and firsthand observation.
When errors are identified, we correct them promptly in accordance with our Corrections & Clarifications Policy.
Independence
Editorial decisions are made independently of advertisers, sponsors, and commercial partners.
Advertising and sponsored content never determine whether a story is reported or how it is presented. Sponsored material is clearly identified so readers can distinguish it from independent journalism.
Newsroom Policies
To help readers better understand how we operate, we maintain the following newsroom policies and resources:
- About the Newsroom
- Meet the Staff
- Editorial Standards
- Ethics & Independence
- Corrections & Clarifications
- AI & Editorial Technology Policy
- Advertising & Sponsored Content Policy
- Contact the Newsroom
Join the Conversation
Readers play an important role in our reporting. We welcome news tips, story ideas, corrections, historical information, photographs, and suggestions that help us better serve the people of West Virginia.
If you have information that may be of public interest, we’d like to hear from you.
About West Virginia Explorer
Founded in 1999, West Virginia Explorer is an independent digital magazine and news publication dedicated exclusively to West Virginia. Our reporting reaches readers across the United States and around the world who share an interest in the Mountain State.
By combining daily reporting with in-depth features on history, travel, culture, and outdoor recreation, we aim to preserve West Virginia’s stories while helping readers discover new ones every day.
Looking Ahead
As West Virginia continues to grow and change, so will our newsroom. New businesses are opening, historic places are being restored, trails are expanding, communities are finding new opportunities, and people across the state are working every day to preserve what makes the Mountain State unique. Our responsibility is to document those changes with fairness, curiosity, and respect, and to preserve stories that might otherwise be forgotten.
We also recognize that journalism is built on trust. That trust is earned through transparency, accuracy, and a willingness to listen. We encourage readers to question our work, share their knowledge, alert us to mistakes, and suggest stories that deserve wider attention. Many of our best articles begin with a conversation from a reader who knows a town, trail, family, or tradition better than anyone else.
West Virginia Explorer believes every county has stories worth telling and every community has something to contribute to the state’s larger story. From the Ohio River to the Eastern Panhandle, from the Allegheny Highlands to the Tug Fork Valley, our newsroom is committed to reporting on West Virginia with the care and attention it deserves.
Thank you for reading, supporting, and helping strengthen independent journalism in the Mountain State.