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Newsdesk.org has been selected by the Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Foundation to receive a $25,000 grant in support of the nonprofit, public-interest news service News You Might Have Missed (NYMHM).
The Foundation’s generous gift will be used to develop NYMHM as a daily service that can earn income through syndication; this will support the production and promotion of important but overlooked news, and help improve coverage of underserved communities.
A Vision for New Public Media
Syndication is at the heart of the LOCAL.NEWSDESK.ORG proposal to create new public-media infrastructure for local/regional journalism, at a time of crisis for the news industry.
Local.Newsdesk.Org is a 2009 finalist in the WeMedia/Changemakers “Pitch-It” contest. It envisions a network of independent but affiliated online news bureaus that put professional journalists to work, and connect them more effectively to their communities. The bureau network will function in some ways like a wire service, yet will also report and publish news at the community level, and add resources to the work of local and regional journalism partners.
Prototype: News You Might Have Missed
NYMHM has been published Wednesdays since February 2002, and examines national and global issues through the local and regional lens. Its rigorous, hard-news format drives an average of 25,000 unique visitors monthly to Newsdesk.org, on the strength of only one home-page update weekly.
With support from the Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Foundation, Newsdesk.org will recruit and hire a full-time Staff Editor to turn NYMHM into a daily service — the first step in developing revenue through syndication, in support of the Local.Newsdesk.Org vision.
Financial oversight is provided by Independent Arts & Media, a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor and “shared back office” for commercial-free media/culture programs and producers. Indy Arts services include operations and bookkeeping, promotions, networking events, and support with grant seeking, fundraising and strategic planning.
Contacts & Further Details:
- To make an individual donation or matching grant, contact Clarisa Morales Roberts, Executive Director, Independent Arts & Media: 415-738-4975
- For Newsdesk.org inquiries, contact Josh Wilson, Project Director: 415-738-4975
- Newsdesk.org, NYMHM and Local.Newsdesk.Org
- The Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Foundation