The Rock Fight: "The Launch of RE:PUBLIC: Public Lands Get Their Newsroom"

Date: September 12, 2025
Host: Colin True
Guest: Chris Kyes (Former Editor-in-Chief, Outside Magazine; Founder of Republic)

Episode Overview

This episode marks the launch of Republic, a new nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom focused exclusively on America's public lands. Host Colin True sits down with Chris Kyes, well-known for his tenure as Editor-in-Chief of Outside magazine, to discuss the motivations, goals, and needs that led to Republic’s creation. Together, they examine the state of outdoor media, the challenges facing public lands, and the role brands, the industry, and journalism can play in protecting America's natural spaces.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Chris Kyes’ Media Journey and Motivation

• Background
  Kyes reflects on his decades at Outside magazine, charting a path from the "golden era" of adventure magazines to today's media landscape.
  • “I think of myself as sort of working at the intersection of public lands and journalism.” (09:06, Kyes)
• Republic’s Mission
  Republic is described as a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom solely covering the issues and policies affecting America’s public lands.
  • “…A nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom, and we're dedicated exclusively to covering the policies and forces shaping America's public lands.” (08:13, Kyes)
• Reasons for Focusing on Public Lands
  Kyes’s passion is shaped by a career of storytelling and witnessing firsthand public lands’ central role in the outdoor industry.

The “Why Now?” of Republic

• Media Contraction and the Void in Outdoor Journalism
  • “I think there are 75% fewer journalists than we had two decades ago...most of that's on the local level, with the decline of newspapers, but it's industry wide.” (11:45, Kyes)
  • Public lands issues, though deeply impactful, get insufficient coverage as national media focus elsewhere.
• Nonprofit Model as the Future
  • “There's more than 500 news organizations now that are nonprofit...a lot of them have carved out a really sustainable business model through a combination of foundation support, individual donors, and their readership.” (16:19, Kyes)
  • Moving away from ad-driven reporting helps guarantee independence and allows prioritization of meaningful public-interest stories.

Republic’s Content Strategy

• Longform Investigative Journalism
  • Republic’s inaugural year will focus on 10–12 deeply reported investigative pieces, partnering with organizations like High Country News.
    • “Our first year is really focused on commissioning 10 to 12 investigative pieces that are going to have high impact out there...not necessarily covering public lands on the daily drip...but really focusing on these long lead time, big impact stories.” (14:53, Kyes)
• Newsletter and Future Growth
  • Initial engagement will be through an informative, writer-driven newsletter, followed by the goal to expand to a podcast and daily reporting.

Public Lands Advocacy: Industry’s Role

• Brands as Advocates
  Outdoor brands are encouraged to use their platforms to champion public lands, noting how powerful industry voices have previously been.

  • “There's really very little downside to being vocal about this issue because it's one of the few bipartisan issues that we have left.” (22:52, Kyes)
  • Brands today have more direct access to consumers (via social) and thus more responsibility/opportunity to educate and rally support.

• Challenges in Industry Engagement

  • Brands have been more hesitant in the "second Trump administration," which Kyes finds concerning, considering the increased threats to public lands.
  • “Brands have not been as brave with using their voices this time around and there are little afraid to put themselves out there.” (22:52, Kyes)

The Need for Focused, Impactful Reporting

• Problematic Decline in Local/Investigative Reporting
  • The journalistic contraction has resulted in the loss of nuanced, in-depth coverage, replaced by algorithms and listicles.
    • “ChatGPT could write a listicle as good as anybody probably right. It's like evaluate these six things and rank them...” (14:40, True)
• Future Beyond the Current Political Moment
  • Republic’s relevance will persist regardless of the political climate, as public lands issues are generational and multifaceted.
    • “To say that there weren't threats to our public lands under the Biden administration or the Obama administration would be naive to the greatest degree.” (20:44, Kyes)
    • Topics like access, recreation, conservation, policing, and extractive industries always demand scrutiny and accountability.

Building Community and Support

• How to Get Involved
  • Sign up for the newsletter, follow on LinkedIn (other social to come), and, if able, donate to support reporting.
    • “Every dollar that comes in now is getting plowed right into journalism. So please support us.” (29:43, Kyes)
  • Brands are also invited to support and collaborate, though most fundraising will focus on foundation and reader support.
    • “Anybody can contribute to my nonprofit right now. The doors are open.” (27:34, Kyes)
• Republic’s Editorial Transparency
  • Current status is a “soft launch” focused on introducing the mission and team; first major stories expected in late October.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It's Brokeback Mountain. I just can't quit you journalism.” (09:06, Kyes)
• “If you take a position on any issue, you run the risk of angering that constituency. But who is the constituency for these outdoor brands? It's the people recreating on these lands. Like, there's very little downside.” (22:52, Kyes)
• “So to a certain degree, we are always going to be playing defense in the conservation movement and the agencies that are in charge of these lands, they have a broad mandate. They need to balance recreation, conservation and the extractive industries.” (20:44, Kyes)
• “I can't believe I'm in this position of sounding like an NPR pledge drive, but that's the world I live in now.” (29:43, Kyes)
• “Tote bags and trucker hats are coming.” (30:38, Kyes)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Setting the Scene – [00:00–06:02]
• Guest Introduction (Name Pronunciation Banter) – [07:23–07:57]
• What is Republic? Mission and Vision – [08:13–09:06]
• Why Now? Media Trends and the Need for Focus – [11:45–14:12]
• Republic’s Content Strategy – [14:53–16:06]
• Nonprofit Business Model Discussion – [16:08–18:05]
• The Role of Brands in Public Lands Advocacy – [22:07–24:34]
• Bridging the Industry & Future Focused Coverage – [24:34–26:59]
• Engagement, Support, and How to Get Involved – [27:30–29:43]
• Wrap-Up and Looking Ahead (Newsletter, Contributor Call) – [29:43–32:13]

Tone & Language

True to The Rock Fight’s ethos, the episode blends candor, campfire humor, and an unapologetic commitment to “speaking the truth” about the industry and the stakes for public lands. Both host and guest cut through corporate politeness, at times poking fun at their own journeys and highlighting the real human effort required for systemic change in media and conservation.

Summary for Non-Listeners

This episode of The Rock Fight offers an inside look at why and how Republic seeks to reshape public lands reporting in America. Through thoughtful discussion with Chris Kyes, listeners come away with a clear understanding of the challenges facing both outdoor journalism and public lands, and the crucial importance of focused, nonprofit-driven, longform storytelling. Brands and individuals are welcomed to join, support, and sustain this new venture to ensure that the real stories of America’s wild places are told—and acted upon—for generations to come.