About Whittier Informed

Whittier Informed is an independent local newsroom covering the City of Whittier and the surrounding unincorporated communities.

Decisions made at City Hall and by the institutions that shape daily life in Whittier affect everyone here. But they are often hard to follow, written in technical language, or spread across multiple documents. At the same time, many of the questions people have are not clearly addressed in official communications.

Whittier Informed was created to make that information easier to find, easier to follow, and easier to understand — so people can stay better connected to what’s happening in Whittier and how decisions shape daily life.

What We Cover

Local government
Elections
Housing and development
Schools and education
Community
Business
Culture and events

We also publish explainers and guides that help residents understand how local decisions affect the community.

How We Work

We rely on public records, official statements, and verifiable sources. When information is written in technical or government language, we translate it into clear, usable terms. When decisions connect to earlier ones, we explain how. We pay attention to what people are asking, noticing, and questioning, and bring clarity and context to those issues.

Our Approach

Whittier Informed is independent and nonpartisan, with no affiliation to government, political groups, or outside organizations that influence our coverage. Our reporting is fact-based, grounded in journalism ethics, and focused on helping people understand what's happening and why it matters.

All of our reporting is free, with no paywalls and no subscriptions required.

For more on how we report, handle corrections, and maintain independence, see our Standards & Transparency page.

Background

Whittier Informed started in 2024 as a volunteer-based social media project focused on a specific gap: Whittier lacked a consistent, accessible source of local reporting that clearly explained public decisions and civic information.

The audience grew to more than 90,000 followers across platforms, generating millions of monthly views. As that audience grew, so did the work. What began as social media posts evolved into deeper reporting, broader coverage, and the foundation of a structured newsroom.

Some of our reporting has been cited by national outlets such as NBC News and regional outlets, including Telemundo 52 and the Whittier Daily News.

Whittier Informed received a first-place award in the Local Media Association's Digital Innovation Awards for its approach to making complex local government information more accessible and understandable online. Judges wrote:

"Whittier Informed’s innovative techniques point to the future of news. If deployed across larger newsrooms, these can revolutionize and revitalize journalism regardless of the size of the newsroom." - Local Media Association (May 8, 2025)

During the two years between the start of our social media accounts and Whittier's April 2026 election, local issues that once received limited public attention became part of broader conversations across the community. As Whittier Informed grew, those issues reached a wider audience and became part of discussions that extended well beyond social media.

The launch of this site marks the next step: a dedicated platform for more complete reporting, clearer organization of information, and a permanent, searchable public record of the decisions and issues that shape life in Whittier.

Founder

Whittier Informed was founded by Eddie Cota. He studied journalism at California State University, Northridge, and has a background in digital media, marketing, and audience development.

He launched Whittier Informed as a volunteer social media project to address the lack of clear, accessible information about city decisions in Whittier. He built it from the ground up into a widely followed local news platform before formalizing it into an independent newsroom.

He lives in Whittier with his family and is part of the community he covers.

Newsroom Partners

We are a member of Tiny News Collective, a national initiative that supports independent local news organizations like ours. Through TNC, we are fiscally sponsored, which means we can apply for grants and receive community donations like a nonprofit while remaining editorially independent and keeping our reporting free and accessible.

We also work with Lawyers for Reporters, a Cyrus R. Vance Center for Justice initiative that provides pro bono legal support to journalists and mission-driven news organizations nationwide, helping strengthen civic awareness, government accountability, and democratic engagement.

Professional Memberships

Whittier Informed is a member of:

Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)
Los Angeles Press Club