ELLIS & SNEVE | Here's why we’re raising prices — and why we held off for so long

The Dakota Scout's pending $7 monthly subscription marks first-ever increase; renew before Feb. 2 at current rate

We respect our readers greatly, so we won’t bury the lead. The cost of a subscription to The Dakota Scout is going up.

That’s the bad news. But now that it’s out of the way, we hope to soften the blow of soon having to pay $7 a month for full access to South Dakota’s premier journalism website with some silver linings.

Since the launch of The Scout in September 2022, we’ve taken great pride in keeping the cost of a monthly subscription at $5 and $55 for an annual subscription. Our accountant and administrative support staff can vouch that several internally recommended subscription adjustments have been resisted, probably to a fault — we’re journalists, not venture capitalists, after all.

Veteran reporters Jonathan Ellis, Joe Sneve mark new era in South Dakota journalism

What the heck is The Dakota Scout?

But preserving the status quo can only persist so long for any business. And we can feel good that for more than three years we’ve held true to our promise that we wouldn’t pull a bait and switch with pricing or make frequent adjustments to subscription rates.

We also proudly report that, thanks to the support of our subscribers, we’ve published more than 5,500 news articles, viewpoints, entertainment stories, obituaries and topical cartoons.

And though some of that work has elevated The Scout to the mantle of South Dakota journalism in a relatively short period — earning accolades and awards for investigative reporting and fostering civic discourse and dialogue in South Dakota — Scout readers have enjoyed the lowest subscription costs of any other statewide newspaper or the various startup news websites that have followed in our footsteps.

All the while, we’ve been deliberate about using The Scout’s early success to grow and develop the newspaper into what’s increasingly woven into the fabric of South Dakota. Today, The Scout’s weekly print product can be picked up in more than 20 counties at nearly 300 locations — delivered by a nine-member team of South Dakota drivers. And the hard-working crew that each week ensures the newspaper gets done and on time has expanded to more than 10 newsroom and office staff and regular contractors and freelancers.

This is also an opportunity to introduce readers to Chad Garnes, who joined The Scout in late summer 2025 as the newspaper’s director of operations and development. Chad has decades of experience in news media business and marketing and is integral to the long-term visions and ambitions we have for The Scout.

But back to those fee hikes. We hate them as much as any healthy-minded American should. That’s why we’re giving all our readers a way to delay the subscription hike until 2027.

Beginning Feb. 2, the monthly subscription rate will be $7 plus tax, or $77 for an annual subscription (signing up for a year will always knock a month’s worth off your bill). That means the existing $5 monthly subscription cost and the $55 annual subscription rates of the last 1,222 days will continue for both new subscribers who sign up and those renewing their subscriptions by Feb. 1.

And one more thing — here’s another promise we’re making: We will not raise our subscription costs again for at least two years. We hope to hold out even longer.

Thanks for reading and subscribing. Your support means the world to us, and independent South Dakota journalism is better for it.

News tips welcome. Thanks!
Joe & Jon