Oregon Roundup Foundation, a new news media foundation, will expand coverage of Oregon politics, policy and government by the popular Oregon Roundup newsletter and podcast, according to author and founder Jeff Eager.
“Oregon badly needs responsible, well-researched and fearless coverage of its politics, policy and government. It’s no coincidence our state government’s performance by most any objective measure has plummeted following and during massive cutbacks in reporting capacity by legacy media outlets. At the same time, legacy outlets’ ideological allegiance with the elected officials and agency leaders they cover in Oregon has become more apparent. It’s been a perfect storm for bad policy and bad government,” Eager said.
Oregon Roundup began publishing in 2020, issues including the state’s response to Covid and the 2022 governor’s race. Beginning January 2023, Eager shifted the Roundup’s focus to original news reporting about Oregon politics, policy and government. Since then, the Roundup has consistently broken news about the Oregon Liquor Control Commission’s bourbongate scandal, the Democratic Party of Oregon’s misreporting of its largest-ever campaign contribution, the first lady controversy and the demise of Measure 110 in its original form.
“I’m proud of the contribution Oregon Roundup has made to the news landscape in our state, but much more is needed. I see the Roundup growing into a full-scale, staffed provider of excellent near-daily news and opinion from a non-progressive perspective. To do that, the Roundup needs to avoid the bad economics that have eviscerated legacy news media. The Oregon Roundup Foundation will help expand the Roundup’s output, reach and impact,” Eager said.
Oregon Roundup Foundation’s initial board of directors consists of Eager, 2022 nonpartisan gubernatorial candidate and longtime Democratic legislator Betsy Johnson and Dan Pahlisch, president of Pahlisch Homes, a multi-generation family-owned regional homebuilder headquartered in Bend, Oregon.
Jeff Eager, a lawyer, lives in Bend, where he attended high school and later served on the city council and as mayor between 2009 and 2013. Before attending law school, Eager worked in Washington, D.C. for U.S. Representatives Robert F. (Bob) Smith and Greg Walden, each of whom represented Oregon’s sprawling 2nd Congressional District.
