Focus: “The JCI” is a “grassroots” community news site; information categories include news, arts, politics, three contributor blogs, cultural calendar. Staff publishes a magazine, NEW, twice a year. One of the blogs, Mamarama, about a single mom, is by a local resident with a corresponding public access television program.

Started: 2008

Staff: Jon Whiten and Shane Smith are co-publishers, according to site masthead. Whiten is the editor. Other staff are a sales manager, associate editor, writer, photographer, and 10 regular contributors.

Business: nonprofit; advertising and donation-supported

Site: jerseycityindependent.com

From About:

The Jersey City Independent is the alternative news and culture source for Jersey City. JCI provides quality journalism to a city that desperately needs it, covering hard news, community news, politics and culture, with the ultimate goal of a better-informed citizenry, more accountable government and increased civic participation. The Independent also uses emerging technologies to shine a light on local government and give citizens greater access to public information that government entities are often reluctant to publish.

Sample stories: “Residents and Officials Come Out in Force Against Proposed Gas Pipeline,”; Halfway through 2010: Mixed News on Jersey City Foreclosure”; “Drought Watch Issued for Hudson County”; “Housing Authority Holding Public Hearing on ‘One-Strike’ Eviction Rule Next Week”; “For Farmers Market Week, New Jersey’s Agriculture Secretary Challenges Residents to Eat Locally”;

Focus: hyperlocal and community news for Red Bank and six surrounding towns; sections include Yard Sale, and link to arts and leisure sister site RedBank oRBIT

Started: June 2006

Staff: 4 — Red Bank residents and husband-and-wife team Trish Russoniello and John T. Ward, according to the site. Ms. Russoniello is a graphic artist, Mr. Ward was a newspaper reporter for 20 years. Another person edits Red Bank oRBIT, and there is one tech person. Some articles bylined by a part-time reporter.

Funding: advertising-supported

Site: redbankgreen.com

From About Us

redbankgreen is an independent, advertiser-supported, web-only presentation of news and features about life in Red Bank, New Jersey, and its neighbor towns: Fair Haven, Little Silver, Rumson, Shrewsbury, some of Tinton Falls, and the lower part of Middletown.Launched on June 1, 2006, the site is styled as “a town square for an unsquare town” because it’s a meeting place, like the village green of old. Only this one’s online.

[...]

In creating redbankgreen, Trish & John set out to bring journalistic standards, luscious visuals and fresh—but not gratuitously cynical—perspective to local coverage.

Sample stories: “Bridges Head in Opposite Directions”; “Fair Haven GOP: Focused on Finance”; “Local Foodies Tune into Tunisia”; “Weekend: Not the Usual Haunts” (a preview of Halloween arts and liesure events, from sister site RedBank oRBIT); “Red Bank’s Yard Sale Maven” (profile of local resident, posted on Yard Sale page); and a comprehensive listing of municipal meetings in “Civics 101″ sidebar

Focus: community news, announcements; Baristakids’ page, in association with MontclairKids site (info for moms); food/restaurant reviews; some aggregated stories collected from other sites that discuss coverage area

Employees/Writers: Founded, co-owned by Debbie Galant and Liz George.  The run the site with assistance from one daily editor; 11 contributors; Kristen Kemp runs MontclairKids on BaristaKids page

Launched: May 2004

Funding: advertising — commercial and classified

Site: baristanet.com

The biggest contributors to the site are our readers — their active participation has turned Baristanet into a true online community and the destination for breaking local news, airing opinionated views, and yes, poking fun at suburbia whenever possible.
Much like a favorite coffee shop, where the baristas remember your drink order, Baristanet’s “baristas” give its readers exactly what they’ve come to love — a mix of original reporting, as well as aggregrated news, all with Baristanet’s unique voice and perspective. Baristanet readers provide another layer of content and opinion by actively commenting on each story as well as providing tips, photos, suggestions, as well as (ouch!) criticisms, making the site their own.

Sample posts: “Fried to fight for weekend trains”; “Washington Street Elementary School will be green”; “Murder in Caldwell”

Focus: Legal community, specifically independent lawyers, small practices, new lawyers

Launched: February 2009

Employees/Writers: Three reporters, two editors, a publisher, Web master, sales staff, art director. Launched with nine out-of-work employees of New Jersey state bar association’s New Jersey Lawyer newspaper when it closed, according to NJBiz. Heavy solicitation for “collaborator” (contributed) material 

Funding: subscription service ($100 year); print edition sales; advertising

Site: njesq.net

From About Us page:

NJEsq is a new publication group in adjective only: Its staff is experienced, its approach time-tested. And it has no intention to sit still. Its partnerships with county bar associations, law schools - and collaborators like you – ensure that as the law changes, as the profession changes, we will be there, slightly ahead of the curve.

Sample stories: “Bill Mathesius is not Sonia Sotomayor’s biggest fan”; “NJ liquor laws for the 21st century” 

Frequency: Weekly

Location: Montclair, New Jersey

Focus: “To provide high-quality news for New Jerseyans and not just about New Jerseyans.” News, entertainment, opinion, other sections.

Started: January 2009

Employees/Writers:  About 40 former New Jersey Star-Ledger reporters, most are news veterans that were laid off from the Star-Ledger, organized this  news Web site, to “address the growing journalism void.” Dozens of contributors. Site accepts community contributors, story and news tips, debate, feedback.

Funding: advertising

Web site: newjerseynewsroom.com

In the news: according to Silicon Alley Insider June 1, 2009 story, site gets more than 50,000 hits, but staff paid about $42 a week based on advertising sales.

From the founders’ about us page:

Our news organization invites everyone to join the mission of telling stories important to the people of New Jersey. Tell stories that shine a light on the dark places. This is journalism not funded by or beholden to corporations or wealthy individuals. We aim for a balanced, insightful take on the news and our goal is to provide a fresh, independent voice.

Sample stories: “Palmer: Tribe won’t build Trenton casino while I’m mayor”; “ABC’s of why your property taxes are so high” (an opinion piece contributed by a NJ assemblyman); “Jersey City man gets 8 years in prison for rebate scam”