States Newsroom

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States Newsroom
Formation2019
Type501(c)3[1]
President
Chris Fitzsimon
Subsidiaries39
Affiliations11
Budget (2024)
$22 million
Staff
220 (2024)
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

States Newsroom is a nonprofit news network with newsrooms or a partner news organization in all 50 U.S. states.[2][3][4][5][6] States also runs Stateline, a website that covers nonpartisan trends on state policy.

States Newsroom grew out of NC Policy Watch, a progressive think tank in North Carolina founded in 2004 by Chris Fitzsimon, who is States Newsroom's president.[7][8] At the end of 2017, the project expanded, using the liberal group the Hopewell Fund as an incubator until November 2019 when States Newsroom became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit.[9][10][11][3][12] States Newsroom's commentary and opinion pieces are clearly-labeled and generally lean left[10][4] along with many of its larger donors, though it does receive some support from center-right groups and nonpartisan groups like the National Press Foundation.[3]

After receiving criticism from groups including NewsGuard, OpenSecrets and Governing shortly after its launch in late 2019 for not being transparent with its funders and donors, by August 2020 States Newsroom started to disclose its major donors since becoming a 501(c)3 and has mostly had a warmer reception since including by the Pew Research Center, Columbia Journalism Review, Poynter Institute, and Nieman Lab. States Newsroom also signed partnerships with outlets including ProPublica, the New York Times, the Texas Tribune, CalMatters, Honolulu Civil Beat, and Mississippi Today. Its Alabama affiliate was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

Organization

States Newsroom provides funding, human resources and digital support to journalists in the state newsrooms.[13] It typically has 4-6 journalists per newsroom.[3] Opinion pieces, which lean left, are clearly labeled.[3] The organization does not allow opinion pieces from candidates or political officeholders.[3][10] States Newsroom allows its articles to be republished for free under a creative commons license.[13][3][4]

States Newsroom accepts no corporate donations and has publicly shares the sources of all contributions above $1,000 since becoming a 501(c)3 in 2019.[3][14] The Wyss Foundation gave $1 million to States Newsroom in 2020.[15]

In December 2021, States Newsroom announced plans to nearly double its presence from 25 states to 40 states.[4] The organization reported raising $10 million in 2020. States Newsroom had anticipated revenue of more than $27 million by the end of 2021.

In October 2022, the New York Times listed States Newsroom as an example of an organization expanding coverage locally and in state houses alongside Axios and Pluribus News.[5]

In 2023, the Pew Charitable Trusts transferred its Stateline news service that covers state policy trends around the U.S. to States Newsroom with $3 million to help with the transition. Stateline provides nonpartisan reporting on trends in state policy.[10]

As of 2024, it reported having 220 full-time employees, with an annual budget of more than $22 million.[3] It grew from five affiliates upon its 2019 launch to 39 freestanding newsrooms at 11 partner outlets covering all 50 states by early 2024.[3]

Newsrooms

"Virginia Mercury" redirects here. For the flowering plant, see Acalypha virginica.

The 39 newsrooms under the States Newsroom umbrella include the Alabama Reflector,[16] Alaska Beacon,[17] Arkansas Advocate,[17] Arizona Mirror,[18] Colorado Newsline,[19] Daily Montanan,[20] the Florida Phoenix,[21] Georgia Recorder,[22] Idaho Capital Sun,[17] Indiana Capital Chronicle,[17] Iowa Capital Dispatch,[3] Kansas Reflector,[17] Kentucky Lantern,[23] Louisiana Illuminator,[17] Maine Morning Star,[24] Michigan Advance,[11] the Minnesota Reformer,[7] the Missouri Independent,[3] NC Newsline,[25] Nebraska Examiner,[17] Nevada Current,[26] New Hampshire Bulletin,[27] New Jersey Monitor,[28] North Dakota Monitor,[3] Oklahoma Voice,[29] Ohio Capital Journal,[17] Oregon Capital Chronicle,[30] Rhode Island Current,[31] Pennsylvania Capital-Star,[32] Source New Mexico,[24] South Dakota Searchlight,[17] Tennessee Lookout,[17] Utah News Dispatch,[17] Viriginia Mercury,[33] Washington State Standard,[34] West Virginia Watch,[35] and Wisconsin Examiner.[36]

Alabama Reflector

In May 2024, States Newsroom's outlet in Alabama, the Alabama Reflector, was selected as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.[37] Brian Lyman of the Alabama Reflector was recognized "For brave, clear and pointed columns that challenge ever-more-repressive state policies flouting democratic norms and targeting vulnerable populations, written with the command and authority of a veteran political observer."[38]

Partnerships

The 11 nonprofit news organizations that partner with States Newsroom include CalMatters,[3] Capitol News Illinois,[39] CommonWealth Beacon,[40] CT Mirror,[41] Honolulu Civil Beat,[3] Mississippi Today,[42] New York Focus,[43] Spotlight Delaware,[3] The Texas Tribune,[3] The Vermont Digger,[10] and WyoFile.[44]

ProPublica and the New York Times have partnered with States Newsroom.[14]

Mountain State Spotlight also partnered with States Newsroom[10] in 2022[45] but the partnership had stopped by the launch of West Virginia Watch in 2023.[46]

Reception

In January 2020, Steven Brill of NewsGuard asked States Newsroom to reveal their donors so they could better determine whether their donors had a political agenda or created conflicts of interest that the organization had not disclosed. States Newsroom responded with a defense of their model and a critique of NewsGuard's methodology for elevating sites that promote conspiracy theories and white nationalism above some innovative sites that do more factual reporting.[47][4] By August 2020, States Newsroom listed all of its donor who gave more than $500 on its website.[9] A 2024 study by NewsGuard continued to categorize State Newsroom as a partisan-backed outlet designed to look like an apolitical one, which State Newsroom disputed and noted their collaborations with ProPublica and the New York Times in addition to the "hundreds of awards" their newsrooms have received.[14]

In July 2020, the 16 newsrooms of States Newsroom were included but then removed from a map created by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism of "hyperpartisan sites... masquerading as local news." States Newsroom's national editor successfully argued to Nieman that the funding model was much more transparent and that many staffers for the group are longtime journalists.[48][49] In 2023, Nieman Foundation for Journalism described the newsrooms as being "studded" with experienced journalists.[10]

In 2022, Pew described nonprofit newsrooms, including States Newsroom, as being launched to fill a gap in legacy media, with nonprofit news outlets employing twenty percent of statehouse reporters.[50]

In April 2024, Cameron Joseph praised States Newsroom in the Columbia Journalism Review, writing that they "are nothing like the 'pink slime' organizations that pass off partisan propaganda as local news. Many of the journalists running the local newsrooms... had previously been at major state newspapers. The four States Newsroom reporters I spoke to all said they had broad leeway to run their operations as they see fit, with almost no interference from the national operation beyond a broad mandate to cover state politics and policy."[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "States Newsroom - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  2. ^ Corasaniti, Nick; Berzon, Alexandra; Gold, Michael (April 20, 2024). "G.O.P. Intensifies Scrutiny of Voting: 'We're Keeping a Close Eye on You'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 12, 2024. ...according to an audio recording, which was posted on Rumble and first reported by States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Joseph, Cameron. "This nonprofit has newsrooms in all 50 state capitals. Is it the future of state journalism?". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved August 12, 2024. While the news coverage strives to be balanced and nonpartisan, the sites' commentary section leans left.
  4. ^ a b c d e Izadi, Elahe (December 6, 2021). "The troubling new void in local journalism — and the nonprofits trying to fill it". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved August 12, 2024. for the Iowa outpost of States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit newsrooms covering state government across the country. These outlets keep close tabs on the state legislatures and regulatory agencies where decisions are being made that affect many aspects of daily life for citizens: taxes, environmental rules, health care policy, school funding, workers rights and much more. With funding from foundations and a variety of donors, States Newsroom formed two years ago to attempt to fill a void in what many government watchdogs and civil-society experts believe is one of the biggest manifestations of the local journalism crisis: the dire shortage of reporters covering state government.
  5. ^ a b Robertson, Katie (October 7, 2022). "News on Statehouses, With a Twist: Covering All 50 at Once". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 12, 2024. States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit news outlets, now has a presence...
  6. ^ Kobin, Billy (August 3, 2023). "Maine's latest newsroom will add to growing ideological media landscape". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved May 26, 2024. States Newsroom, a left-leaning nonprofit...
  7. ^ a b Borzi, Pat (January 14, 2020). "The Minnesota Reformer has launched. So what the hell is the Minnesota Reformer?". MinnPost. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  8. ^ Rickert, Chris (January 4, 2020). "With 2020 in sight, dark-money sites look to distribute their versions of the news". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Scutari, Mike (August 19, 2020). ""Fill the Gaps." A Donor-Backed Outfit Aims to Reverse the Decline in Statehouse Reporting". Inside Philanthropy. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Scire, Sarah (March 8, 2023). "Pew's Stateline finds a new home with nonprofit States Newsroom". Nieman Lab. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Barrett, Malachi (November 9, 2019). "News Websites with Political Ties Spread Across Michigan". www.governing.com. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  12. ^ Massoglia, Anna (May 22, 2020). "'Dark money' networks hide political agendas behind fake news sites". OpenSecrets.
  13. ^ a b Fu, Angela (February 25, 2021). "Where state and local coverage are actually expanding". Poynter. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Fischer, Sara (June 11, 2024). "Dark money news outlets outpacing local daily newspapers". Axios. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  15. ^ Vogel, Kenneth P.; Robertson, Katie (April 13, 2021). "Top Bidder for Tribune Newspapers Is an Influential Liberal Donor". The New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  16. ^ Hitson, Hadley (May 26, 2023). "Alabama Reflector joins Montgomery mediascape, boosting coverage of state politics, policy". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "States pledged hundreds of troops and spent millions to help Texas at the border so far this year". The Republic News. July 15, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  18. ^ "'False and misleading claims': Kari Lake and Mark Finchem lose in court — again" – via MSN.com.
  19. ^ "Q&A With Quentin Young, Editor of Recently Launched Colorado Newsline". 5280. July 9, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  20. ^ Miller, Blair (August 1, 2024). "Former President Trump to hold Montana rally with Sheehy in Gallatin County". USA TODAY. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  21. ^ Smith, Adam (July 5, 2018). "Welcome a new news outlet to Tallahassee". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  22. ^ Xu, Meimei (July 31, 2024). "Federal judge in Alabama lets Title IX rule protecting LGBTQ kids go forward in Georgia". WABE. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  23. ^ Lucke, Jamie (July 17, 2024). "On the trail of J.D. Vance's Kentucky mountain roots". WFMZ.com. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  24. ^ a b "At least 973 Native American children died at U.S.-run boarding schools between 1871-1969". Yahoo News. July 31, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  25. ^ "States Newsroom Relaunches NC Policy Watch as NC Newsline". States Newsroom. April 3, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  26. ^ "Report details, confirms Nevada prison system missteps during pandemic". March 11, 2022.
  27. ^ "In wake of sweeping school funding rulings, NH lawmakers pursue legislative fixes". New Hampshire Public Radio. February 29, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  28. ^ DeFilippo, Dana. "Sen. Bob Menendez 'put his power up for sale,' federal prosecutors tell jurors". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  29. ^ "Clemency recommended for Oklahoma death row inmate ahead of scheduled execution". KOSU.
  30. ^ Chronicle, BEN BOTKIN Oregon Capital (June 14, 2024). "Oregon still fixing state employee payroll system after problems last year". Oregon Capital Insider. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  31. ^ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  32. ^ Fries, Amanda. "Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro among contenders for Kamala Harris VP pick. Here's why". USA TODAY. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  33. ^ "Author: Virginia Mercury". WTOP News. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  34. ^ "A chatbot spread falsehood about WA elections. The secretary of state wants it fixed". KNKX Public Radio. August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  35. ^ "West Virginia Watch to launch statewide news outlet". The Register-Herald. July 7, 2023. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  36. ^ Rickert, Chris (January 4, 2020). "With 2020 in sight, dark-money sites look to distribute their versions of the news". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  37. ^ Demarco, Marisa (May 7, 2024). "Pulitzer Board recognizes Alabama Reflector editor in commentary category". Iowa Capital Dispatch. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  38. ^ "Finalist: Brian Lyman of the Alabama Reflector". The Pulitzer Prizes.
  39. ^ "Heidi Mueller named new Illinois DCFS director - StLouis.city". January 3, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  40. ^ Gill, Kathy (November 14, 2023). "South Carolina is the latest States Newsroom affiliate – The Moderate Voice". Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  41. ^ "How Connecticut is leading the charge in sustainable wind energy". Yahoo News. July 12, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  42. ^ Harrison, Bobby (July 5, 2024). "Mississippi judge blocks Biden attempt to ensure LGBTQ+ medical treatment • Nebraska Examiner". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  43. ^ "New York Focus - Bias and Credibility". Media Bias/Fact Check. August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  44. ^ Clendenon, Sarah (July 10, 2024). "Idaho and Wyoming: Media Parallels". Idaho Dispatch. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  45. ^ "States Newsroom announces content sharing partnerships with The Texas Tribune and seven other nonprofit newsrooms". Editor and Publisher. May 18, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  46. ^ "States Newsroom launches West Virginia Watch". Editor and Publisher. July 12, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  47. ^ "States Newsroom Network". NewsGuard. January 29, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2024. While we respect NewsGuard's mission, we are concerned that as a for-profit startup they have adopted a flawed methodology that punishes innovative, fact-based organizations such as ours, while endorsing the work of outlets that promote conspiracy theories and white nationalism such as Breitbart, the Daily Caller, TheBlaze and FoxNews.com. We urge NewsGuard to update their methodology and use their platform to stand up for real journalism and hold those who spread hate and misinformation accountable.
  48. ^ Shumway, Julia (July 24, 2020). "Partisan groups spend big to deliver 'news'". Arizona Capitol Times. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  49. ^ Mahone, Jessica; Napoli, Philip (July 13, 2020). "Hundreds of hyperpartisan sites are masquerading as local news. This map shows if there's one near you". Nieman Lab. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  50. ^ Schearer, Elisa; Matsa, Katerina Eva; Mitchell, Amy; Jurkowitz, Mark; Worden, Kirsten; Forman-Katz, Naomi (April 5, 2022). "Total Number of U.S. Statehouse Reporters Rises, but Fewer Are on the Beat Full Time". Pew Research Center. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
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