We Won't Publish Guilt-by-Proximity Headlines
When an unaccepted invitation becomes a headline, journalism slips into insinuation. Here's why The Charlotte Mercury won't publish proximity stories without evidence.
Feb 4, 2026
Publisher · Founder, Mercury Local
Peter Cellino is the publisher of The Charlotte Mercury and founder of Mercury Local, the platform that runs it. He writes on agentic AI, platform economics, and the future of independent local journalism.
When an unaccepted invitation becomes a headline, journalism slips into insinuation. Here's why The Charlotte Mercury won't publish proximity stories without evidence.
Feb 4, 2026
In the so-called Information Age, citizens are swimming in data and drowning in ignorance — and that has consequences at the ballot box. A city that won't read shouldn't trust its own opinions.
Dec 1, 2025
A Texas pizza franchise's bankruptcy just ran as "Charlotte business news." Here is why that old attention-merchant model is breaking down and what The Charlotte Mercury is doing instead.
Nov 24, 2025
Councilmember Watlington's corruption allegations have cost Charlotte $ 25,000. Investigation found nothing. She has no regrets. That's the problem.
Oct 15, 2025
Charlotte's transit leaders turned a tragedy into a communications disaster. Here's the crisis management playbook they ignored—and what they should have said instead.
Oct 3, 2025