Welcome to Compass—news, insights and analysis of Knoxville government, politics and business delivered to you in a subscription-only newsletter and website. Co-founders Scott Barker and Jesse Fox Mayshark are veteran reporters who know the players, the histories and the major issues shaping the future of Knoxville and Knox County.
If you're looking for local news reported with context and depth, and you're tired of being bombarded with pop-up ads on websites owned by out-of-town media companies, Compass is for you! We cover city and county governments, the Knox County school system, business and development trends, the University of Tennessee and other related areas. We also track the local impact of issues at the state and federal levels, from health care to immigration to education.
We promise fresh content on the website every weekday, and a weekday email delivered straight to your inbox with links to new stories and a roundup of other news and events.
Day in and day out, Compass will guide you and let you know who’s doing what and why.
WANT TO GIVE A GIFT?
You can purchase a gift subscription. All you have to do is enter the email address of the person you're buying it for rather than your own email address. (Your recipient will immediately receive an email informing them of the subscription, so you may want to let them know to expect it.) Then send an email to us at info@compassknox.com and let us know the email address of the recipient and the duration of the subscription. We will ensure that it will not renew beyond the period you intend to pay for.
starter subscription
Monthly
Access the full website.
Get daily email briefs.
Receive in-depth special reports.
Join subscriber-only conversations.
Get the lay of the land!
$10/month
starter subscription
Monthly
Access the full website.
Get daily email briefs.
Receive in-depth special reports.
Join subscriber-only conversations.
Get the lay of the land!
$10/month
A Good Deal
Biannual
Access the full website.
Get daily email briefs.
Receive in-depth special reports.
Join subscriber-only conversations.
Plus two weeks free!
$55/six months
A Good Deal
Biannual
Access the full website.
Get daily email briefs.
Receive in-depth special reports.
Join subscriber-only conversations.
Plus two weeks free!
$55/six months
Best Value
Annual
Access the full website.
Get daily email briefs.
Receive in-depth special reports.
Join subscriber-only conversations.
Plus two months free!
$100/year
Best Value
Annual
Access the full website.
Get daily email briefs.
Receive in-depth special reports.
Join subscriber-only conversations.
Plus two months free!
$100/year
If you would prefer to pay by check, contact us at info@compassknox.com.
Guides who know the territory
Compass is Scott Barker and Jesse Fox Mayshark, two long-time journalists with a love of Knoxville and deep knowledge of our community’s politics and personalities. Between the two, they have nearly 50 years of experience in journalism and government. Scott was a local government reporter and then the editorial page editor for the Knoxville News Sentinel. Jesse also worked as a reporter at the News-Sentinel, before serving as editor of Metro Pulse and working as a staff editor at The New York Times. For the past six and a half years, he has worked for Mayor Madeline Rogero as her Communications Director and a member of her cabinet.
What your subscription includes
website access
A daily memo of significant events, new content each weekday, an expanded report every Thursday, and ongoing insights into local government, politics, education and business
weekday emails
Weekday summaries delivered directly to your email inbox and links to the latest reporting on compassknox.com
Plus, a civic events calendar
special reports
In-depth analysis of major issues facing Knoxville and Knox County, with an emphasis on detail and context.
social media
A subscribers-only Facebook group where you can comment on articles, ask questions of the writers, suggest story ideas and interact with others who share your passion for civic engagement.
website access
weekday emails
special reports
social media
A daily memo of significant events, new content each weekday, and ongoing insights into local government, politics, education and business
Weekday summaries delivered directly to your email inbox and links to the latest reporting on compassknox.com
Plus, a civic events calendar
In-depth analysis of major issues facing Knoxville and Knox County, with an emphasis on detail and context
A subscribers-only Facebook group where you can comment on articles, ask questions of the writers, suggest story ideas and interact with others who share your passion for civic engagement
What you won’t find
Opinion pieces. We give you the facts and context so you can make up your own mind.
National news. We focus on stories directly connected to East Tennessee.
Sports, weather and entertainment. Knoxville already has plenty of sources for those.
Advertisements. No auto-play videos or pop-up ads.
Thank you for visiting compass!
Honor us with your confidence and we will repay you
with journalism that matters.