Study finds bias in nonprofit journalism

The Pew Research Center found in a recent study of 46 nonprofit journalism sites that half of the sites produced content that was “clearly ideological.” But ideology doesn’t have to mean bad news. Writing for Harvard’s Newman Journalism Lab, Joshua Benten says, “… a little ideology isn’t such a bad thing. Take the right-of-center Watchdog.org [...]

Palin’s official Alaskan e-mails set for public airing

MSNBC, Mother Jones and ProPublica are preparing to publish 0ver 24,000 pages of former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s e-mails from her time as Alaska governor. The e-mails will be in a searchable archive. Alaskan officials are withholding 2353 pages and redacted some records. In violation of the state’s open records laws, Palin also used a [...]

International press freedom: Nonprofits may have role in mitigating censorship

Clothilde Le Coz of Reporters Without Borders says that in many countries that try to censor the internet, a user can still find uncensored news on the web, and nonprofit journalism sites can step up to provide some of that news. Le Coz says it is a challenge to guarantee independence even with the nonprofit [...]

Study shows traditional media plays crucial role in enforcing open govenment

Research by a Brigham Young professor revealed that newspapers are behind almost every court case and law promoting public access and open government. With newspaper revenues shrinking, it is not guaranteed that as bloggers take over much of the reporting that they will be able to challenge government agencies. The online news publication ProPublica that [...]

Exemptions for Freedom of Information Act expanded using scores of other statues

A Propublica study of ways the federal government avoids providing information under the FOIA reveals that b(3) section of the act allows an agency to apply other statutes to justify its stonewalling. To avoid transparency, agencies have used 240 other statutes over the last decade. -db From The Art of Access, March 14, 2011 by [...]

Bay Citizen a success at raising funds for nonprofit journalism

A major San Francisco Bay Area’s foray into nonprofit journalism is going well with The Bay Citizen using a complex business plan supporting a commitment to produce high quality news content that attracts a wide audience. -db Neiman Journalism Lab January 19, 2011 By Lois Beckett Seven months into its bid to reinvent the metro [...]

Nonprofit-news pioneer sees promise in non-profit news done by advocacy, membership groups

An early participant in the non-profit news business, Jim Barnett, thinks there is a strong future for non-profits in undertaking news projects without sure financial returns. He thinks that groups such as Human Rights Watch, the American Red Cross and the Council on Foreign Relations will step up to help fill the vacuum left by [...]

Logan Symposium reflects optimism about future of journalism

A veteran journalist thinks that real journalism has a chance with the emergence of non-profit news organizations the likes of ProPublica and Bay Citizen along with operations like WikiLeaks. -db MediaShift Commentary April 20, 2010 By Chris O’Brien Over the past two days, I had the pleasure of attending the 4th Annual Reva and David [...]

Robust journalism emerging amid reports of failed newspapers

Even though newspapers are filing for bankruptcy and laying off reporters, new technology is delivering on its promise to provide the public with more news and in greater detail than ever. -db First Amendment Center Commentary April 18, 2010 By Gene Policinski Headlines — ironically, given this subject — have proclaimed for some time that [...]

Federal court orders release of list of jets used by Big 3 automakers

ProPublica won a court battle in its Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to gain the release of a list of corporate jets used by Big 3 automakers to fly to Washington, D.C. to ask for a taxpayer bail out. -db ProPublica Commentary February 26, 2010 By Michael Grabell A federal district judge ruled Friday that [...]

Smaller news outlets may come with built-in agendas

Publishers and broadcasters are increasingly using new and lesser known news sources but have found that these sources may come with particular slants that should be acknowledged. -DB The New York Times January 18, 2010 By Richard Pérez-Peña News comes from more and more outlets, about which readers know less and less. Publishers and broadcasters have [...]