Dear readers,

My name is Roy McKenzie and I am the editor and creator of Missoula County Tyranny. Over the past year and a half, Missoula County Tyranny has followed, published, and reported on news and information from a perspective that the mainstream press will not cover: the citizens.

While news outlets like the Missoulian reported on mask mandates, election integrity, and local conservative grassroots movements, they have done so from the perspective of bureaucrats, elected officials, and non-profits and with a heavy liberal bias.

Under the guise of “journalism” the Missoulian and other Montana media outlets have often framed their stories about conservatives with inflammatory rhetoric referring to conservative-leaning Missoulian’s as “right-wing” or “GOP-led” or as “spreading debunked misinformation.” They have also printed outlandish quotes from mouthpieces at astroturf organizations like the Montana Human Rights Network, an organization whose main ideological production is the manufacturing of consent for the idea that Montana conservatives are dangerous racists.

It was always my goal to provide an alternative perspective to the mainstream media regarding important local news and issues like election integrity, schools, COVID-19 responses, and even the local happenings around the Trucker Convoy.

Since the creation of the website, Missoula County Tyranny has grown to several thousand visitors per month in addition to the thousands of subscribers across multiple platforms including Facebook, Telegram and Email.

Many people have approached me and recommended that I change the name of the website to something more palatable for a more general audience. I resisted this idea for a while as it was my intention to be plain that Missoula County leaders and bureaucrats were being tyrannical to the people who live here.

After a lot of thought and counsel with people I trust and respect, I have decided to change the name of the site from Missoula County Tyranny to Free Missoula News (freemissoula.news).

The name change conveys two perspectives: the imperative that Missoulians should be freed of tyranny (free Missoula!) and the idea that Missoulians should be able to access and share news and information freely.

At Free Missoula News, now anyone can sign up and post information (including a photo) to the “Firehose” and have it discovered and shareable. Depending on the popularity of the content you share, content can go “trending” on the site or be an inspiration for full coverage from a local reporter. Free Missoula News will always offer full articles from local journalists and my aim is to aggressively expand that coverage. 

There are additional features being added to the site regularly. I am focused on creating a local community-powered news and information network that not only informs, but reveals traditional local media outlets as gatekeepers of information rather than distributors of information.

I have two asks today. One, that you continue to stick around and read and share what is posted (and post yourself!) at Free Missoula News. And two, that if you or someone you know is interested in spreading a message, Free Missoula News now has unobtrusive and eye-catching ad space now available on the website. Ad space takes the following form:

Each ad space features a title, a small caption for links and a brief pitch, and an avatar of you or your organization’s logo.

These ad spaces are available to promote and amplify the message of local businesses, organizations, and individuals and to sustain and grow Free Missoula News operations to include more local journalists and more sharing features for locals. Email me at [email protected] or share this post if you or someone you know is interested in purchasing ad space.

Thank you for taking this journey with me and for being a loyal subscriber and for sharing the news and information that has been posted to the site.

Thank you, also, for your encouragement and support.

I look forward to the journey ahead.

—Roy McKenzie