Nevada Press Association The best in Nevada journalism since 1924
The Nevada Independent gets ready to launch tomorrow morning, with a stable of recognized names in Nevada journalism and what its founder says is $2 million in foundation funds to support its nontraditional organization, according to an article today in the New York Times.
Jon Ralston, who has worked for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Sun and Reno Gazette-Journal, is starting The Nevada Independent and will serve as editor. Its mission: “To change the face of journalism in Nevada and establish a new paradigm for nonprofit, community-supported news organizations.”
Reporters on the staff of the startup include Michelle Rindels, recently the Nevada statehouse reporter for the Associated Press; Megan Messerly, who was covering politics for the Sun; Riley Snyder, who reported for PolitiFact during the campaign season; and Jackie Valley, a prize-winning reporter also for the Sun.
Helping run the operation as managing editor is Elizabeth Thompson, who was editor and publisher of Nevada News Bureau, a foundation-funded organization that covered Nevada’s Legislature during the 2011 session, and among other journalism roles had been editor of the revived Territorial Enterprise.
Also on board is John L. Smith, former longtime columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal who last fall was inducted into the Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame.
The site’s launch arrives the same day as Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval’s state-of-the-state speech and three weeks before the Nevada Legislature convenes.
“Our initial focus will be twofold,” according to the site. “(1) the Legislature, where three of our reporters will be based full-time from January to June of 2017, and (2) important stories in both Northern and Southern Nevada. Much of our focus will be on providing data in easy to understand formats. In our mission to provide the public with as much factual information and insight as possible, we will leave no stone unturned.”
It also promises to disclose all donations and donors.
At the Nevada Press Association, we’re looking forward to seeing the work of this new enterprise and wishing well for these folks, not only because they’re all friends of ours, but because we’re always in favor of more journalism.
Michelle, Megan and Riley stopped by the Press Center last week to have photos taken by Kevin Clifford for Nevada Photo Source. (I see that Kevin also posed Ralston in front of the Legislative Building for the New York Times story.)
After the shoot, Cathleen Allison, who owns Nevada Photo Source, couldn’t resist posting a fun photo of the three Carson City-based reporters.
Both Michelle and Riley worked out of the Associated Press office upstairs here at the Press Center, so it’s good to have them back in town. In fact, we’ve adopted a couple of plants from Michelle. And when Riley asked, I checked to make sure the half-full can of stale Folger’s coffee — now estimated to be preparing for its third legislative session — remains on standby in the Press Center refrigerator.
When the Legislature convenes on Feb. 6, there will be a swarm of reporters — print, TV, radio, online — in the capital city, which is suddenly thrust into the media spotlight of the state. But within a few days, all but a handful will go back to their newsrooms and only occasionally pick up a story from the legislative building.
That handful remaining in Carson City, however — the capital press corps, almost entirely reporting in print and online — will be digging deep into policy, politics, controversy and conflict. Sean Whaley, Sandra Chereb and newly arrived Ben Botkin for the Review-Journal; Geoff Dornan for the Nevada Appeal; Cy Ryan for the Las Vegas Sun and, I presume, new hires for Associated Press and the Sun, form the baseline for most of what Nevadans read and understand about how their government works.
Having more experienced journalists in Carson City for the 120-day sprint that is the Nevada Legislature is a positive sign for journalism in our state. The more we know, the better we’ll be.
With that, I offer all of them the advice of the motto of Nevada’s second newspaper, The Scorpion, founded in Genoa in 1857: “Fear no man, and do justice to all.”
