Nonprofit news site AxisPhilly, which launched in late 2012 from Temple University's Center for Public Interest Journalism funding, is closing shop. CPIJ mentioned the site fell short of its goals to make a local impact and serve as a collaborative news hub, despite high-quality content.

A new nonprofit venture, Brother.ly, has emerged with the intention of bringing engagement back to news. Jim Brady, former editor-in-chief of Digital First Media and in charge of the now-defunct Thunderdome, will lead the operation. It will not receive any funding originally intended for AxisPhilly, which was a $2.4 million grant from the William Penn Foundation.

AxisPhilly covered some of Philadelphia's biggest stories, including the long-developing story of the closure of 24 public schools and the protests that followed. They also forged an interactive map of properties owing back taxes for up to 10 years, highlighting the potential for growth in an economically challenged landscape.

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