2022-06-16T11:49:26-05:00 2021-12-31 640897081 MATTHEWS CUTRER & LINDSAY PA 1020 HIGHLAND COLONY PKWY 500 RIDGELAND MS 39157 990 2021-01-01 472158741 DEEP SOUTH TODAY D/B/A MISSISSIPPI TODAY DEEP 6015334860 750 WOODLANDS PARKWAY 100 RIDGELAND MS 39157 MARY MARGARET WHITE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 6015334860 2022-06-15 1 MARY MARGARET WHITE 999009999 CHARLES R LINDSAY CPA P00294610 6018988875 2022-06-15 3 AAL1 IAL1 2021 2022-09-23 18:48:47Z MARY MARGARET WHITE 750 WOODLANDS PARKWAY 100 RIDGELAND MS 39157 5186235 0 X MISSISSIPPITODAY.ORG X 2014 MS THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES TOP NOTCH SERVICE JOURNALISM VIA DIGITAL DISSEMINATION. 10 10 28 10 32082 0 2528142 5137666 13522 32082 3497 15020 0 0 2545161 5184768 0 0 0 0 1451278 1665967 0 0 279989 506931 539667 1958209 2205634 586952 2979134 2531175 5242208 319636 51535 2211539 5190673 X THE ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO ENGAGE READERS BY: - PROVIDING TOP-NOTCH SERVICE JOURNALISM VIA DIGITAL DESSEMINATION - CREATING A FORUM FOR PUBLIC DIALOG THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA - HOSTING LIVE EVENTS (HTTPS://MISSISSIPPITODAY.ORG/EVENTS/) WHERE PEOPLE CAN INTERACT WITH NEWSMAKERS AND REPORTERS 0 0 1508736 36499 MISSISSIPPI TODAY IS THE STATE'S ONLY FULLY STAFFED NONPROFIT, NONPARTISAN NEWSROOM, OFFERING IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATIVE AND ENTERPRISE REPORTING FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE STATE. THERE IS NEVER A PAYWALL TO VIEW THE REPORTING, LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST OR ACCESS THE DATA SETS ON OUR SITE. THE PRESENCE OF MISSISSIPPI TODAY JOURNALISTS CREATES A HIGHER LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY AMONG ELECTED OFFICIALS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY LEADERS THAN SEEN IN RECENT HISTORY. MISSISSIPPI TODAY REPORTING IN THE AREAS OF COVID-19, PUBLIC HEALTH, POLITICS, EDUCATION, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, WORKFORCE AND EQUITY HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY IMPACTFUL OVER THE PAST YEAR, PROVIDING INSIGHT AND EXPLANATION OF BREAKING NEWS AND SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT HAVE LONG GONE UNREPORTED. WE HAD 7 MILLION PAGEVIEWS ON OUR SITE IN 2021, A GREAT REFLECTION OF OUR ABILIITY TO RETAIN THE COVID BUMP IN READERSHIP OF 2020 THAT TOTALED ALMOST 9 MILLION. WE REACHED 3.2 MILLION USERS IN 2021, AS COMPARED TO OUR COVID RECORD OF 3.7 MILLION IN 2020. OUR MONTHLY AVERAGE READERS WAS 268,000, AS COMPARED TO A MONTHLY AVERAGE OF ABOUT 374,000 IN 2020. WE EARNED A 38 PERCENT INCREASE IN ANNUAL MEMBER/DONORS FOR A TOTAL OF $327,000 IN READER REVENUE IN 2021. 1620 MISSISSIPPI TODAY HOSTS A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS AND PODCASTS RANGING FROM INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS WITH POLITICIANS, AUTHORS AND NEWSMAKERS, TO PANEL DISCUSSIONS ON IMPORTANT STORIES AND ISSUES FACING MISSISSIPPIANS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR MISSION OF PUBLIC SERVICE JOURNALISM, OFFERING A VENUE FOR READERS TO ENGAGE WITH REPORTERS, PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO ARE SHAPING MISSISSIPPI. IN 2021, WE HOSTED A MONTHLY ZOOM SERIES FEATURING NOTABLE MISSISSIPPIANS, MISSISSIPPI STORIES, AS WELL AS A SERIES OF VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETINGS, THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BEING A COVID COMMUNITY TOWN HALL, ATTENDED BY OVER 200 PEOPLE AND FEATURING INTERVIEWS WITH THE LT. GOVERNOR AND LEADERS IN BOTH EDUCATION AND HEALTH. IN ADDITION TO OUR WEEKLY PODCAST ON POLITICS AND POLICY, THE ONLY OF ITS KIND IN THE STATE, WE ALSO LAUNCHED A SPORTS PODCAST AND CREATED A PODCAST COMPANION TO OUR MISSISSIPPI STORIES SERIES. 1510356 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 18 0 1 28 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 10 10 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 AR CT FL MS NY TN CA X X MARY MARGARET WHITE 6015334860 750 WOODLANDS PARKWAY 100 RIDGELAND MS 39157 DONNA BARKSDALE EXECUTIVE CHAIR 1.00 X X 0 0 0 ANDREW LACK DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 JIM BARKSDALE DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 TRAY HAIRSTON TREASURER 1.00 X X 0 0 0 CHARLES OVERBY DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 TOM PITTMAN DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 SEETHA SRINIVASAN SECRETARY 1.00 X X 0 0 0 VANGELA WADE DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 JONATHAN JONES DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 BILL BYNUM DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 MARY MARGARET WHITE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 40.00 X 117088 0 15127 ADAM GANUCHEAU EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 40.00 X 82905 0 7638 THOMAS RAMSEY HIGHEST COMPENSATED EMPLOY 40.00 X 104504 0 27802 304497 0 50567 2 0 0 0 0 259438 4878228 5137666 ADVERTISING 541800 32082 32082 32082 8578 8578 7909 0 1467 7909 -1467 6442 6442 5184768 0 32082 15020 304497 197808 66625 40064 1052482 683716 230285 138481 38205 24612 8498 5095 170156 113359 31695 25102 100627 65217 22137 13273 855 855 11700 11700 186293 132435 16219 37639 61407 55619 5788 93732 70018 13342 10372 95169 83749 9517 1903 26049 25779 270 24582 24574 8 114 114 20824 16967 2737 1120 16791 14776 1679 336 EVENTS 2151 1613 538 2205634 1510356 415289 279989 2180965 4013582 33999 25000 248071 1146911 9059 12283 18095 13336 151556 121614 39046 29942 1940 1154 2531175 5242208 54335 48551 7801 2984 257500 0 319636 51535 X 1330404 1438196 881135 3752477 2211539 5190673 2531175 5242208 2979134 0 X X 0 1 X 1 0 X 528162 2104678 1549230 2528142 5137666 11847878 528162 2104678 1549230 2528142 5137666 11847878 3887057 7960821 19 55 70 4322 16587 21053 1287 1485 0 2772 11871703 0.67060 0.48400 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 5540 5131 409 146016 116483 29533 29942 5261631 76863 76863 5184768 0 5184768 2282497 76863 76863 2205634 0 2205634 JIM BARKSDALE DIRECTOR 65616 THE ORGANIZATION RENTS OFFICE SPACE FROM THE WOODLANDS OFFICE PARK, LLC WHICH IS MAJORITY OWNED BY JIM BARKSDALE, DIRECTOR. 0 FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 2 MISSISSIPPI NEWS AND INFORMATION CORP RENTS OFFICE SPACE FROM THE WOODLANDS OFFICE PARK, LLC WHICH IS MAJORITY OWNED BY JIM BARKSDALE, BOARD DIRECTOR. DONNA BARKSDALE, EXECUTIVE CHAIR, AND JIM BARKSDALE, DIRECTOR, HAVE A FAMILY RELATIONSHIP - HUSBAND AND WIFE. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 4 AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO CHANGE NAME TO DEEP SOUTH TODAY FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B A DRAFT OF THE FORM 990 IS PROVIDED TO BOTH THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE DRAFT IS REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED. ANY QUESTIONS BROUGHT UP BY THE BOARD MEMBERS OR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ARE ANSWERED AND/OR CLEARED BEFORE THE RETURN IS FILED. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY COVERS ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. BOARD MEMBER ARE SUPPLIED WITH A COPY OF THE POLICY EACH YEAR AND SIGNS AN ANNUAL STATEMENT AFFIRMING THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE POLICY, HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE POLICY, HAVE COMPLIED WITH THE POLICY AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS CHARITABLE AND IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN ITS FEDERAL TAX EXEMPTION IT MUST ENGAGE PRIMARILY IN ACTIVITIES WHICH ACCOMPLISH ONE OR MORE OF ITS TAX EXEMPT PURPOSES. BOARD MEMBERS HAVE A DUTY TO DISCLOSE POTENTIAL OR ACTUAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST TO THE EXECUTIVE CHAIR AND THE REMAINING BOARD MEMBERS DECIDE IF A POTENTIAL OR ACTUAL CONFLICT EXISTS. IF APPLICABLE, IDENTIFIED CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND APPROPRIATE RECUSALS ARE DOCUMENTED IN THE BOARD MINUTES. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 THE PROCESS FOR DETERMINING COMPENSATION FOR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVES INCLUDES A REVIEW AND APPROVAL BY THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. COMPARABILITY DATA USED IN THE REVIEW PROCESS IS OBTAINED THROUGH REVIEW OF COMPENSATION OF POSITIONS OF COMPARABLE ORGANIZATIONS. THE DECISIONS ARE DOCUMENTED IN COMMITTEE MEETING AND/OR BOARD MEETING MINUTES. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 THE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND TAX RETURNS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE ORGANIZATION'S WEBSITE (WWW.MISSISSIPPITODAY.ORG). THE ORGANIZATION'S GOVERNING DOCUMENTS AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. FORM 990, PAGE 12, PART XII, LINE 2C THE AUDITOR MEETS WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAKING A FULL PRESENTATION AT THE COMPLETION OF THE AUDIT ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS. THE AUDITOR WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS DURING THE YEAR SHOULD ANY CONCERNS ARISE.