Launched in 2016, it was founded by former Netscape president Jim Barksdale and his wife Donna, alongside former NBC chairman Andrew Lack, to address the decline in local news coverage in Mississippi.

Initially focused on state government and investigative journalism, the publication has since expanded its coverage to include topics such as criminal justice, health policy, higher education, the environment, and sports.

Known for its commitment to watchdog journalism, Mississippi Today brands itself as a nonpartisan organization and adheres to the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics.

Supported by grants from major foundations and individual donors, the newsroom collaborates with national and regional outlets such as ProPublica, the Associated Press, and the New York Times to contribute to its reporting.

[2] Jim Barksdale, his wife Donna, and former NBC chairman Andrew Lack formed Deep South Today to compensate for dwindling local news coverage.

[7] Mississippi Today was initially founded as an online newsroom to cover state government and politics, focusing on watchdog and investigative journalism.

[2] The organization has been accused of being left-leaning or liberal by conservative journalists and Republican politicians, with individuals like Phil Bryant refusing to answer phone calls from Mississippi Today.