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Impact

Floodlight’s model has shown how journalism can hold the powerful to account and expose the harms of climate change on vulnerable communities. Many of our stories have spurred regulatory and corporate change around the country.

Floodlight's authoritative reporting has been cited by numerous local and national outlets, including CNN, The Hill, Washington Post, NPR and Politico. Experts and advocates have used our deep-dive investigations to call for greater corporate accountability in the utility industry and more public transparency when it comes to the dangers of gas export terminals.

In Los Angeles, port authorities decided to start charging natural gas trucks pollution fees, following our reporting with the Los Angeles Times.

They fought for clean air. They didn’t know they were part of a gas industry campaign
Residents around the ports of L.A. and Long Beach were paid to show support for natural gas trucks at community hearings.
Los Angeles TimesSammy Roth

Our reporting with NPR about how power company consultants swayed elections, spied on journalists and bought media coverage was followed by the departure of two CEOs. The stories were seen nationwide by millions. They were reposted by more than 2,000 outlets, including 80 in the target states of Alabama and Florida. Citing reporting by Floodlight and others, NextEra shareholders filed suit, claiming the company had not been forthcoming about its role in the so-called ghost candidate scandal.

In the Southeast, power company money flows to news sites that attack their critics
Alabama Power and Florida Power & Light hired the consulting firm Matrix to help shape their fortunes. Matrix funded six sites that covered politics, filling a void left by the decline of local news.
NPRDavid Folkenflik
She was an ABC News producer. She also was a corporate operative
An ABC News freelance producer confronted critics of a consulting firm’s powerful clients. Her actions confirm people’s worst suspicions about the news media, says a former network news president.
NPRDavid Folkenflik
Florida Power CEO implicated in scandals abruptly steps down
Eric Silagy, the CEO of Florida Power & Light unexpectedly announced his retirement. The company said the move was not connected to a burgeoning political spending scandal.
NPRDavid Folkenflik

Awards

Floodlight in the News