About Us

OUR MISSION, OUR PASSION

Since 1997, people have turned to the Good News Network® as an antidote to the barrage of negativity experienced in the mainstream media. Because of its long history, staying power, and public trust, the Good News Network has remained #1 on Google.

From its beginning in 1997, the website has been a clearinghouse for the gathering and dissemination of positive news stories from around the globe. Since 2006, our daily dose of ‘News to Enthuse’ has confirmed for thousands of fans what we already knew to be true — that good news itself is not in short supply; the broadcasting of it is. Thomas Jefferson said the job of journalists was to portray accurately what was happening in society. The Good News Network was founded because the media was failing to report on the positive. In the 1990’s while homicide rates in the U.S. plummeted by 42 percent, television news coverage of murders surged more than 700 percent, according to the Center for Media and Public Affairs. The editor Norman Cousins once said, “If news is not really news unless it is bad news, it may be difficult to claim we are an informed nation.”

So this website was created in order to report on outstanding citizen action, innovative solutions to the world’s problems, and to shatter negative stereotypes in the public regarding race, governments, politicians, religion, corporations, Hollywood, public schools, and inner cities.

It was also specifically created to be a for-profit business in order to finally prove the founder’s precept that good news actually does sell. Changing broadcasters’ belief about what kind of programming “sells” is critical to getting more positive programming on the air.

The Good News Network® features links to stories around the world, but also original news articles by the Good News Network editors, and contributing authors and columnists like David Ignatius, Jeanne Marie Laskas, David Suzuki, Karen Armstrong, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Carol Adrienne.

MEET THE FOUNDER

One person has been the force behind the creation and updating of the website since it was first launched, making it look like an entire staff of professionals worked behind the scenes. But mostly she labored alone in their lakeside home, growing the business while raising three kids. Today her website serves millions of page views each month and is growing exponentially. Called a “Good News Guru” by a Washington Post reporter, Geri Weis-Corbley became the first expert in the field of positive news in the U.S.

With 30 years of experience in television and online news media, she has been a producer, director, editor, and videographer. Geri has worn every hat in her business, but most importantly she is the author of hundreds of news articles and essays on almost every topic. She has spoken on TV and radio and as a guest speaker,extolling the benefits of a regular dose of “News to Enthuse”. Her website has been highlighted by Katie Couric on the CBS Evening News, featured on NPR, the BBC and in Rolling Stone, among others.

“I first conceived of the Good News Network (abbreviated GNN, like CNN) in 1982, two months into my first job after college, working in TV news in Washington, D.C., freelancing for companies like CNN. I told my colleague there should be a “good news show.” He informed me that good news doesn’t sell — but the idea gnawed at me like sand in an oyster.”

“After ten years I left my career in television to raise a family in Northern VA with my husband, a public television executive. I remember a pivotal moment when our five-year-old was sitting and eating his lunch while I was listening to the news, which was detailing horrific rape scenes from the Bosnian War. (I thought, ‘When is this smart kid going to start listening to this stuff?’) A year later the World Wide Web was gaining traction and I realized I could pursue that dream of positive news programming, but do it on a website from home. In August 1997, after teaching myself to code in html and use design software, I flipped the switch and suddenly anyone in the world could see my new yellow homepage for Good News Network. In 2006, GNN v. 2.0 launched using new content management software and the website began featuring continuous daily news stories for the first time. Now, in 2014, with a new WordPress site (GNN v. 4.0) responsive to mobile devices and revved up with social sharing buttons, I think we will triple our traffic within the year.”

The Good News Network then became an LLC (Limited Liability Corporation) on January 1, 2015.

“I start every day searching for great stories to share with my community of friends and viewers. It’s an amazing way to live. Thousands of people have sent me emails and cards, telling me how the website has helped them. You never know when you can have a profound effect on people. . . Now, using social media like our Facebook page, GNN fans can create the same profound change by passing on the good news to their family, friends and co-workers, which just multiplies the uplift. They can be a positive force in the lives of people around them.”
(Geri’s blog is here)

Gen. Colin Powell, Former Sec. of State wrote to the Good News Network,
“I enjoyed reading the positive stories… Keep up your good work”

SHOULD PEOPLE GIVE UP THE BAD NEWS?

Featuring only positive news is not meant to suggest that there isn’t a place for ‘negative news’ in our lives. We still need to be informed citizens, especially to be responsible voters. But an overabundance of pessimistic, depressing stories can create a perception of a ‘crime- and greed-filled community’ out of proportion with reality. People need a well-balanced media diet, but broadcasters serve too much junk food — local TV news in the U.S., especially. Just like it is unhealthy to consume only junk food, a daily barrage of negative news without any encouraging words, is detrimental to the human psyche. People need to be informed by a worldview that is not dripping with sensationalism and attuned to the police scanner.

There are plenty of benefits when you read more good news, not the least of which is health. Read “Why Good News” to learn more.

Tal Ben-Shahar, the psychologist, author and famed Harvard lecturer said:

“The Good News Network is an extremely important initiative. I recommend that each person makes it a habit to visit the website at least once a day. Positive information benefits us emotionally, physically, and mentally. It can contribute in a meaningful way to a happier and healthier life.”

WHAT DO WE CONSIDER GOOD NEWS?

GNN is expressing a philosophy of optimism and will showcase current affairs and public opinion that reflects this philosophy. We don’t want to polarize with debate and believe there is plenty of common ground upon which to find agreement. With that said, we know there are bound to be disagreements. When there is, we will lean toward modern common sense, the kind espoused by the 150 million people who are Cultural Creatives (estimated number living in the US and Europe in 2000) identified by sociologists as people who are invested with an interest in carving out a more sustainable and loving world.

“News That Reflects Our Values”

Good News Network is news that reflects those values:

Home — Placing an importance on relationships, equality and oneness

Recreation — Fun and Personal development: to find/honor individuality, purpose, creativity

Business — Quality over Quantity, Community, Responsibility and Sustainability

Health — Healthy living, Mind-body connection, Alternative/Holistic healing, New Technology

Earth — Preservation of Resources, Sustainability, Conservation of Species and Biodiversity

Civics — Social Involvement, Idealism, Altruism, Integrity, Compassion, Cooperation

Inspiration — Openness to new ideas, foreign countries, the mysterious, a passion for life

OUR GOALS

To build a community of people enthused by positive news, eager to participate with each other, and dedicated to the enrichment and inspiration of all.
To create a shift in the public’s paradigm of what news IS. (It should fairly reflect society today and humanely serve the society of tomorrow. We want to spark that transformation.)
To create a revenue-generating model for good news programming that can be franchised around the world if overseas companies are interested.
To amass 5 million returning readers for the website within 18 months of launching a mobile app.
To publish our content in a variety of media beyond the Internet, including television and radio.

LEARN MORE:

PRESS ROOM – Here’s some publicity we’ve racked up over the years: Press Page

GERI’S TEAM – Join our team of contributors and volunteers, who get a shout out here.

GERI’S BLOG – Look behind the scenes and see the highlights of GNN history in Geri’s blog.

CONTACT – Contact us

SUBMIT YOUR OWN GOOD NEWS

Anyone who has a website username and password is invited to submit stories on our User Blogs. We might even elevate them to our Latest News Page.

We also invite submissions for our Photo of the Day. You can add photos or submit news, BUT ONLY if you own the copyright to the words and images (meaning you wrote it or made the image yourself, or have permission to share it).

Writing Tips: Provide the facts — Who, What, When, Where, How and Why — but make your first sentences the most compelling. Do you have a hook or question to engage the readers? Often, it works well to state the problem, and then, how it was solved (within 2-3 sentences) then give the details in the body of the story. We look forward to seeing your submissions on our User Blogs!