Welcome to Suncoast Searchlight!

As executive editor-in-chief of the region’s newest nonprofit newsroom, I’d like to tell you about our mission and how my staff and I will fulfill it. 

Suncoast Searchlight was founded on the belief that a strong, independent press is essential to a thriving community. Our mission is straightforward but critical: to produce in-depth investigative and explanatory reporting that serves and empowers the residents of Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties. 

We will do this independently and in collaboration with other media outlets to foster transparency, accountability and an informed citizenry. Our goal is to ensure that all voices are heard and that the public has access to the information they need to drive meaningful change.

There’s never been a greater need for this type of journalism. 

Traditional newsrooms have been shrinking for the past couple of decades, ever since the internet upended their revenue models and altered the way most people find and consume news. Newsrooms that once boasted dozens, if not hundreds of journalists, now operate with what amounts to skeleton crews. 

These journalists are doing their very best to serve their communities with the limited resources at their disposal. But, with less reporting power, they must make tough choices about the stories they can cover and the ones that must fall through the cracks. 

Often what falls through the cracks are the explanatory and investigative pieces that take the most time because they go beyond the what and delve into the how and why. This is the coverage gap Suncoast Searchlight was created to fill. 

I know that some of what we report will be difficult to read. Our stories might reveal abuses of power, mismanagement of public funds, unfair treatment of people or missed opportunities that could have benefited our region. But I also know that a community that confronts its challenges head-on is one that can grow, evolve and thrive. 

My promise to you is that we will approach each of these stories with integrity and fairness – not from some distant, detached newsroom, but as members of this community that we love.

My family moved to Sarasota from Mississippi in 2015 when I took a job as an investigative reporter at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. At that time, the newspaper operated out of its iconic glass building on Main Street, boasting dozens of reporters and editors and a robust investigations team. Even as my job evolved – from local reporter to managing editor of GateHouse Media’s national data and investigations team (GateHouse Media then owned the Herald-Tribune) and later to investigative journalist at USA TODAY – I remained in Sarasota. This region became more than just a place to work; it became my home.

My children have grown up here. My husband has built a meaningful career here. My parents and brother also have since moved here (from Wisconsin) and now they too call this place home. We love it here.

My colleagues at Suncoast Searchlight share the idea that the best reporting comes from a place of deep concern for the communities in which we live. We care about what happens here, and that concern guides the way we approach our roles as journalists.

Suncoast Searchlight also is committed to strengthening and supporting our existing media organizations. We know that collaboration leads to a stronger media ecosystem, which is why we plan to share resources, partner on stories and work with other newsrooms to make sure our reporting reaches as many people as possible.

Finally, we want to make sure we’re accessible to the community. 

That’s why we plan to hold events and discussions to provide opportunities for people to meet our journalists, share their concerns and help guide our coverage. We want to ensure that the stories we tell reflect the realities of life in Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties.

If there’s something you think we should be looking into, if you have a story idea to share or if you just want to know more about what we do, please reach out. Our contact information is on every story and elsewhere on our website.

I personally look forward to hearing from you and growing with you. So, let’s start this work together.

Emily Le Coz is executive editor-in-chief at Suncoast Searchlight. Email her here.