Straight Arrow News Announces Four New Reporters to Deepen Coverage of Forces Shaping American Life

News publisher strengthens reporting on politics, cost of living, media bias, and digital influence

OMAHA, Neb., June 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Straight Arrow, the independent news publisher dedicated to unbiased, fact-based journalism, has announced the addition of four new reporters to its editorial team: Mark Keierleber, Azi Paybarah, Lauren Pearle, and Rosie Thomas. These hires continue Straight Arrow's investment in meaningful, context-driven journalism across some of the most consequential beats in American public life. The additions come as the independent news publisher deepens its commitment to giving readers the tools they need to understand how news is made, sold, and shaped.

"These four hires represent exactly the kind of editorial investment that serves readers who want a deeper understanding of how this country works that goes beyond the endless news cycle," said Derek Mead, Chief Content Officer at Straight Arrow. "From the economic realities shaping everyday life to the forces that impact public opinion, Mark, Azi, Lauren, and Rosie bring the needed depth and desire to go beneath the headlines that our audience expects."

Mark Keierleber joins as Straight Arrow's media, bias, and algorithms reporter, from The 74, where he worked as an investigative reporter covering education and accountability. Keierleber is a two-time Online Journalism Awards winner, Livingston Award finalist, and Fund for Investigative Journalism grantee, known for breaking national exclusives through FOIA requests, open-source intelligence, and data analysis. His work has been co-published in WIRED, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Fast Company, and The Boston Globe, and he has appeared as an expert on NPR and CBS News.

Azi Paybarah joins as a senior politics reporter, focusing on how political stories get built, framed, and sold. Paybarah began his career at the Queens Tribune and most recently reported for the Washington Post. He was part of the New York Times team awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 2021 for coronavirus pandemic coverage, and is a co-founder of the FAQ NYC podcast.

Lauren Pearle joins as a senior reporter covering cost of living and affordability. An award-winning journalist, Pearle spent 15 years at ABC News, as a senior producer at ABC News Live and producer for the ABC News Investigations Unit and Law & Justice Unit. She contributed high-impact reporting to Good Morning America, World News Tonight, Nightline, and 20/20, and also served as senior editorial producer for PBS' Firing Line with Margaret Hoover.

Rosie Thomas joins as Straight Arrow's digital influence reporter from 404 Media, where she reported on the intersection of technology, surveillance, and digital behavior. Her reporting included an investigation into GPS trackers being sold as relationship surveillance tools through TikTok Shop; she has covered topics ranging from AI voice cloning to algorithmic amplification of harmful content.

About Straight Arrow
Straight Arrow is an emerging, independent digital news outlet with the editorial mission to bridge the national divide through unbiased, fact-based journalism in an environment where media mistrust is at an all-time high. Straight Arrow reports the facts in context, avoiding bias, spin, or filter. Daily news, investigative reports, and exclusive interviews can be found at san.com and on its mobile app available on Android and iOS.

Contact:
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SOURCE Straight Arrow