DELAWARE — Source Media Properties is excited to announce the founding newsroom team for Delaware Source, an independent, community-powered newsroom launching in early 2026.
From expanding neighborhoods and growing school districts to new businesses and major infrastructure projects, Delaware County is full of energy, pride and possibility.
With that growth comes a clear need: residents want reliable, local information to help them understand how their community is changing — and what those changes mean for their daily lives.
Strong local journalism helps communities understand themselves, solve problems together and stay connected as they grow. It provides trustworthy information, holds leaders accountable and celebrates the everyday moments that build local pride.
That’s where our team comes in.
Brittany Schock tapped as Regional Editor
Brittany Schock has been appointed Regional Editor for Delaware Source and will lead the launch and development of the Delaware County newsroom.
Schock brings more than a decade of journalism experience and is the longest-tenured employee at Source Media Properties, having joined Richland Source in 2014.
Her reporting has been nationally recognized for its focus on solutions and community impact. In 2016, her series on infant mortality in Richland County was recognized as the top solutions journalism story in the nation by the Solutions Journalism Network in 2016, and led to a community baby shower that drew more than 500 residents.
In 2019, Schock earned first place in the Breaking News category at the LION Publishers awards, and a collaborative project about economic development was highlighted by the Knight Foundation.
She has also been invited to speak nationally and internationally about solutions journalism and audience engagement, representing the Source in conversations about the future of local news at the International Symposium of Online Journalism, the LION Publishers Independent News Sustainability Summit, the Solutions Journalism Summit, a news literacy workshop in South Africa, and through guest lectures at Ohio University, the University of Tennessee, the University of Texas at Austin and other institutions.
Schock earned her journalism degree from The Ohio State University, with a minor in graphic design.
Most recently, she served as Audience Engagement Editor for the Source, helping shape how communities across our existing markets connect with and participate in local journalism.
“Delaware is getting a newsroom leader with deep experience, institutional knowledge and a strong track record of community-centered journalism,” said Jay Allred, CEO of Source Media Properties.
“Brittany understands how to build trust, listen to residents and deliver reporting that matters. She’s the right leader for this moment.”
Taylor Henninger, Jack Slemenda to Delaware Source
Joining Schock in Delaware County will be Taylor Henninger and Jack Slemenda, two early-career journalists who have already been reporting in Source Media Properties’ neighboring markets.
Henninger joins the Delaware Source newsroom after covering education, town and village governments and general assignment reporting for Ashland Source.
A graduate of Ohio University, Henninger gravitates toward reporting that helps explain how systems work — particularly schools, local government and environmental issues. While in college, she developed an interest in environmental research and sustainability and published work with the Athens County Independent, a nonprofit digital newsroom.
Slemenda comes to Delaware Source from Knox Pages, where he has worked as a general assignment reporter with a primary focus on education.
Also a graduate of Ohio University, Slemenda earned a minor in political science alongside his journalism degree. While at OU, he served as editor-in-chief of The New Political, a student publication, and gained reporting experience through national internships, including work in Washington, D.C., as part of The Fund for American Studies’ Student Journalism Association Fellowship.
Together, they will help establish day-to-day reporting in Delaware County over the coming months.
The Delaware Source newsroom will scale gradually to ensure strong coverage across all Source communities during the transition.
STAY IN TOUCH:
You can reach the Delaware Source newsroom at:
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So what is Delaware Source here to do?
You may have already seen our team out and about — at meetings, events, coffee shops or around town. Now that we’ve made it official, the real work begins.
As Delaware Source ramps up over the coming months, we will focus on listening first, building relationships and ensuring the newsroom reflects the people and priorities of Delaware County.
Our goals in Delaware include:
- Reporting on local government, schools and public institutions
- Answering residents’ questions about what’s happening and why it matters
- Highlighting solutions to shared challenges like housing, growth and infrastructure
- Celebrating the people, places and stories that make Delaware County unique
We believe strong local journalism helps people feel informed, connected and empowered. Delaware Source is being built using a proven, community-centered model that prioritizes listening first and reporting with — not just about — the people who live here.
Help shape Delaware Source
Because Delaware Source is a community-powered newsroom, we want your input as we build.
If you haven’t already, we invite you to take our Delaware Source community survey to share:
- What issues you care most about
- What questions you want answered
- What you feel is missing from local coverage
Your feedback will directly shape what we report on and how we serve Delaware County.
More updates — and more reporting — are coming soon. In the meantime, thanks for being here. We can’t wait to get started.