Focus: Covering news, lifestyle and events in south Dallas, an area with a 500,000 population; information categories include politics (local, state and national), education, environment, sports, media, religion, the arts, and Jr. reporters; links to some neighborhood or other local blogs. Opinion pieces and news about nonprofit organizations in the area are also featured.

Started: 2009

Staff: Editor is Shawn P. Williams, who ran the Dallas South blog for three years, according to a press release about the site’s launch, which also said the Dallas South News “will utilize professional journalists, citizen journalists, bloggers, and volunteers to cover issues that are relevant to residents of Southern Dallas. Board of Directors include media staff from traditional print and television outlets, community organizers, civic groups

Business: nonprofit supported by donations, contributions, advertising

Site: dallassouthnews.org

From About:

Dallas South News is a nonprofit news organization utilizing technology, social media, and journalistic principles to empower and inform underserved communities.

Dallas South News uses a combination of traditional journalists, citizen journalists, and bloggers to provide a fresh perspective to news stories important to Southern Dallas communities. We cover local news as well as provide state and local commentary on a variety of topics.

…

Dallas South News holds workshops and seminars designed to empower residents to produce news stories using mobile phones, digital cameras, and mini video devices, as well as to utilize social media tools like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

Southern Dallas is home to over 500,000 people, which is more than the city of Atlanta. Dallas South News covers stories and events that are important to the residents of this area. Local media outlets have targeted other areas of North Texas as their core readers, putting this area on the backburner. DSN sees Southern Dallas as its core and will provide citizens there a much needed voice.

Sample stories: “Bill White on Texas race with Dallas South News Part 1 (audio)”; “Bill White Part 2: Candidate answers question of whether he’s avoiding President Obama (audio)”; “UNCF Rallies North Texas to Help Students Graduate”; “Dallas County District Attorney’s Statement Regarding Proposed Cuts to Public Safety”; “Lone Star Ride Fighting AIDS Celebrates 10 Years of Cycling to Support Local HIV/AIDS Service Organizations”

Focus: “Rockwall County’s leading online news and info service” for large suburban Dallas community. News categories include crime, education, government, sports, entertainment. Intensely local coverage

Started: May 2008 (under different site name); has grown to 8,000 visits per month, according to site

Staff: Founded by JJ Smith, a public relations specialist, former newsperson, and longtime Rockwall resident

Funding: advertising supported; offers $95 week rates; other rates depend on type of ads, i.e., video ads; 9 listed advertisers, including Wal Mart

Site: therockwallnews.com

From About

TheRockwallNews.com is not an “old school” printed newspaper. It is one of the new brand of news and information websites designed for people who prefer to get their news from the Internet.

…We write and post a variety of important news reports, breaking news articles, interesting feature stories, blog entries, photos and videos about Rockwall County.  We also post many more important headlines that we find online about Rockwall County with links to those news stories on other news and information websites and blogs. 

Thanks to rapid web technology, The Rockwall News provides breaking news, photos and videos faster than other local media because we can post stories online, just minutes after events actually happen. We’ve already posted numerous stories on our website faster than The Dallas Morning News, local weekly newspapers, or even TV or radio stations.

Stories: “Rockwall Boys & Girls Club gets extreme makeover from big accounting firm for new school year”; “Rockwall-Heath holds on, beats Hillcrest Friday night 10-7″; “Most if not all Rockwall County schools not streaming live Obama speech to students in classrooms”; “Rockwall High student close to signing major recording contract”

Extra: Dallas Morning News web site, dallas.com, links to The Rockwall News in aggrated local towns roundup

Focus: community news blog serving San Antonio; current events, arts, food, sports, pop culture coverage and discussion. Some Spanish-language content

Started: May 2009

Employees/Writers: founded by Patricio Espinoza, who is also managing editor; family, friends help run the site; most content is openly submitted by area organizations or individuals; solicitations for citizen and professional journalism projects. Multi-media components. Mr. Espinoza created SA4Mayor.com, which covered the 2009 mayoral race. His personal blog, espiBlog.org, won an Emmy this year. Mr. Espinoza has a background in broadcasting

Funding: advertising, but content funding is limited; for now, the site links to contributor sites; revenue sharing planned in future as site grows

Site: alamocitytimes.com

From About Us page

And so… lets get back to you, Alamo City… this is your blog, and here’s what I propose: You have a story to tell? An event to share? An issue of concern? Drop me a note, I will look into it… or better yet… dig up the story yourself, sign-up, send it in, and I will post it here. You can also upload photos and videos.

…my goal is to complement what traditional media has to offer.  They got the picture, so why not us add the other small pieces of the puzzle.  How many times have you whispered… Why doesn’t anyone cover or do that story? So here is your chance San Antonio, to put your money… or in this case your story where your mouth is.

Sample posts: ”UTSA to hold free astronomy event on Friday, September 18″ and “UTSA wins $5 million in stimulus funds for new computing center (University of Texas at San Antonio press releases); ”Roland’s Cucumber Salad” a public access video submission by a contributor

Focus: watchdog, investigative reports in Texas; commitment to state and local government muckraking 

Started: August 2008

Employees/Writers: Non-profit founded by Trent Siebert, a former reporter at the Nashville Tennessean.  Reporters, board of directors.

Funding: start-up monies from the Sam Adams Alliance, a libertarian non-profit based in Chicago; other revenue comes from Texas Watchdog’s blogger/citizen-journalist training program; there is a donation solicitation on the site  

Site: texaswatchdog.com

[from Who We Are page] Texas Watchdog is a news Web site and training center that scrutinizes the actions of government agencies, bureaucracies and politicians in Texas. It is an independent, nonpartisan entity founded on the belief that our American democracy depends on transparency in government.

Texas Watchdog serves as a government watchdog and training center where reporters, bloggers and activists of any stripe learn how to uncover waste, fraud and corruption in state and local governments. This combination of news outlet and training facility creates a two-tiered approach to holding governments and officials accountable for their actions.

Sample stories: “Did [U.S. Senator] Kay Bailey Hutchison cross an ethical line by supporting a rail line that is a payday for her husband?”; “Gaps in Senator Royce West’s reporting of fees from groups with lobbyists”; “La Porte councilman traveled, other council members stayed home”; “Houston Airport System: Releasing salary list would make airports vulnerable to terrorists”

Around the Web about Texas Watchdog: “A New Watchdog for Texas” AJR story from February/March 2009 issue; and from the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism page on new news business models, July 17, 2009 post: “News Innovators on the Frontline: Texas Watchdog“