FAQ

CNI Insider is a subscriber-only Statehouse intelligence service from Capitol News Illinois. It provides forward-looking coverage for professionals who need to know what’s coming — not just what happened, with timely reporting, a continually updated Daily Digest, a subscriber-only newsletter and Statehouse intelligence delivered directly to your phone.

No. While some articles published before Oct. 3, 2026 are freely accessible, we offer additional members-only content, including deep dives, newsletters, SMS alerts, editorial briefings, and events available through a paid tier.

Your membership includes access to all subscriber-only Insider content, including:

• Daily Digest — A Reporter’s Notebook: A continually updated look at what our Statehouse reporters are hearing, watching and working on throughout the day.
• Insider newsletter: A subscriber-only briefing delivered every Tuesday and Friday.
• Global SMS alerts: Choose News, Session and Bears Alerts based on the Statehouse developments you want to follow.
• Story-specific SMS alerts: See what our reporters are working on and ask us to text you when a specific story publishes.
• Subscriber-only reporting: Full access to Insider reporting and analysis.
• Invitations to members-only Insider events in Springfield, Chicago and areas throughout Illinois.

Our articles are written by a team of experienced journalists, editors, and contributors who bring thoughtful, balanced perspectives to their coverage. Meet our authors on the Writers page.

Our newsletter is produced twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays. The newsletter cadence may increase when the Legislature is in session.

Start a free trial by Nov. 30, 2026, and you'll receive full access to CNI Insider for 30 days. At the end of your trial, your subscription will automatically begin at the one-year special introductory membership rate of $99/year. Your payment method on file will be charged when the trial converts to a paid membership.

You may cancel at any time during the trial at no charge. Cancellation is effective immediately. The last day to start a free trial is Nov. 30, 2026.

During the introductory offer, your 30-day free trial is followed by a $99 annual subscription. We encourage you to lock in the introductory rate of $99 as the annual membership price is subject to increase after Nov. 30, 2026.

Insider uses a password-free sign-in process, so there's no password to remember.

Select Sign In and enter the email address associated with your membership. Ghost will email you a secure sign-in link that provides immediate access. Your email also includes a one-time login code, which can be especially useful when accessing Insider from your phone. Please save capitolnewsillinois-insider@ghost.io as a safe sender in your email platform to ensure your newsletters are delivered directly to your inbox (and not to your spam folder).

What if I don't receive my sign-in email?
Check your spam or junk folder and confirm that you're using the same email address associated with your membership. If you still can't access Insider, email webmaster@capitolnewsillinois.com for technical assistance.

The Alert Center is accessible from the homepage and most story pages and lets you choose which Statehouse updates CNI Insider delivers directly to your phone. There are two types of SMS alerts: Global Alerts and Story-Specific Alerts.

What are Global Alerts?
Choose one or more ongoing alert categories:

🚨 News Alerts — Major Springfield developments, including significant government, political and legislative news.
🚨 Session Alerts — For those who need to know what's happening during legislative session, including caucus activity, significant legislative movement and developments that shift the political landscape.
🐻 Bears Alerts — Ongoing updates about legislative activity related to the Chicago Bears.

💡 Save Capitol News Insider as a contact so you can easily spot our alerts in your text messages.

Having trouble turning on your global alerts?
Visit the My Preferences tab in the Alert Center and enter your phone number to opt-in for SMS notifications. Then, navigate back to the Global Alerts tab and the alert toggles will become active!

What are Story-Specific Alerts?
Visit the Upcoming Stories section of the Alert Center for a sneak peek at stories our reporters expect to publish that day. See something important to you or your clients? Opt in, and Insider will text you when the completed story publishes—so you don't have to keep checking the website.

Do I have to receive text alerts?
No. SMS alerts are optional. You control which alerts you receive through the Alert Center.

Yes. You may cancel your annual subscription at any time. Cancellation prevents your next annual renewal but does not refund the current, already-paid subscription term. You'll continue to have access to Insider through the end of your current billing year.

Will I receive a reminder before my subscription renews?
Yes. We will email you at least 30 days before your annual renewal date with:

• Your upcoming renewal date
• The amount you will be charged
• Instructions for canceling if you don't want to renew

Your renewal date will also appear in the footer of each Tuesday/Friday Insider newsletter.

What happens if the subscription price changes?
If CNI changes your subscription price, we'll notify you by email before the new price takes effect on your account. You'll always have the opportunity to cancel before the new price is charged.

Who should I contact about my membership or billing?
For questions about your Insider membership, free trial, subscription or billing, email: insider@capitolnewsillinois.com.

Who should I contact for technical help?
For problems signing in, accessing the website, using the Alert Center or other technical issues, email: webmaster@capitolnewsillinois.com.

Still have questions?
We're happy to help. Contact insider@capitolnewsillinois.com and a member of the CNI team will assist you.

Download our vendor information sheet, created to assist organizations in establishing a vendor profile and purchasing an Insider membership as a business expense.