Focus: news and opinion in the city, “In-Depth News, Analysis & Commentary for the Philadelphia Region”; sections include “Publius” for opinion; and “VoxPop” for first-person essays

Started: December 2009

Staff: Editor Tom Ferrick, a print newspaper veteran; web designer;  graphics designer; and 11 story contributors listed on the site launch.

Funding: non-profit — a project of the Public Media Lab

Site: phlmetropolis.com

From About Us:

Underlying the thinking behind Metropolis is that this region has an abundance of smart, engaged people who care about the area and its future, whose definition of citizenship includes more than just voting and griping about the status quo.Through their unselfish acts, through their volunteer work and their political and civic engagement, they contribute in ways that reverberate far beyond their neighborhoods. Collectively, they serve as the soul and conscience of the Philadelphia region. They are its engines of change.

This website is designed to serve these active and aware citizens, people who have a need to know what is happening in the region that affects them, their families, their neighborhoods and their communities.

Sample stories: “The Frankford Story: In a Free Fall” about a dying neighborhood, part of two-part series;  “Police pact inked”; “Special Report: Violence at South Philly High”; “Time to tax natural gas” (opinion piece); “Another ‘F’ for Philly” brief about weak education system

Focus: “Expressing community through arts, culture and civic involvement”; information categories include “arts & culture”, “green living”, “non-profits and volunteering”, “quality of life”; calendar listings

Started: August 2009

Staff: executive director/managing editor; board of directors; solicitation for contributors

Funding: non-profit, pending 501(c)3 status; donations

Site: bakersfieldexpress.org

From About Us:

The content comes from a mix of independent reporting, community contributed columns and photos, and reader commentary. The website offers an independent, alternative source of local news and information, as well as an opportunity for outreach among community groups.Bakersfield Express is a professional and ethical voice in the community, and offers a place for community members to express themselves. We hold local government accountable through watchdog reporting, offer a central online meeting place for the arts community, and support eco-friendly lifestyle practices. We also build community by encouraging people to volunteer through our nonprofit portal and send in events for our community calendar.

Sample stories: “Artists represent isolation, loss associated with homelessness”; “Kern County has power to be renewable energy leader”; “Dia de los Muertos celebrations are to die for”; “Community concert season off to a jiving start”; “Help needed for tree planting, grove cleanup”

Focus: watchdog, investigative journalism in Virginia; conservative, small government/anti-tax slant; original reporting and some narrative coverage from other media sources

Started: October 2009

Staff: Paige Winfield, editor and writer

Funding: non-profit, 501(c)3, a project of The Franklin Center for Public Integrity, by the Sam Adams Alliance.

Site: virginia.watchdog.org

From About:

Virginia Watchdog is dedicated to balanced news reporting that promotes responsible state and local government.

The goal of Virginia Watchdog is to uncover the actions of government officials and agencies, offering carefully researched data, context and analysis.

We will investigate and inform the public about waste, fraud, abuse, ethical questions and safety concerns involving the use of taxpayer dollars. We’ll also applaud government services that are run efficiently and make exceptional use of funds.

Sample stories: “Citizens can check congressional office costs”; “Hamilton is third to resign on ethics charges”; “Imaginary Virginia districts reported on federal stimulus Web site”; “WaPo mention and Chesapeake Bay battles” news roundup.

Focus: regional watchdog journalism, “News you can sink your teeth into”; news categories include Broward Courts, Broward Sheriff’s Office and Federal Court

Started: October 2009

Staff: volunteer, to start; 3-person board of directors led by chairman and news editor and reporter Dan Christensen, board member/reporter Buddy Nevins, and board member Julie Kay. All are career journalists. Mr. Christensen was laid off from the Miami Herald this year. There is a 9-person board of advisors

Funding: non-profit 501(c)3 (application in process); will solicit donations from individuals and foundations

Site: browardbulldog.org

From About

Broward Bulldog is an independent, not for profit online-only newspaper created to provide authoritative local reporting in the public interest. We are Florida’s first non-profit regional news site staffed by veteran, professional journalists. Our reporters will provide issue-oriented and investigative coverage of government, politics, the courts, education, business, the environment, health and public safety.

Sample stories: “Anatomy of a Frame-Up”

Media mention: “Cheers to the New Bulldog Blog in Town” article from Broward-Palm Beach New Times

Focus: news and information on Oakland neighborhoods and local nonprofit activity; environmentally focused coverage; news categories include environment, food, development, identity, and arts & education

Started: October 2009

Staff: 5 — an editor/publisher, senior producer, senior editor, strategist/advisor, and a staff writer; collaborates with local bloggers, contributors;  partners with local media outlets, namely Spot.us online news site, a radio site, and other nonprofit outlets, and Center for Investigative Reporting; also conducts social and new media training sessions in community

Funding: nonprofit, 501c3 project of The Center for Media Change; seed money from a New Voices grant awarded by J-Lab at American University, which receives funds from The Knight Foundation

Site: oaklandlocal.com

From About

Oakland Local is an independent, non-profit community news and information hub, connecting community and news. Our site combines original investigative and feature reporting with community news and information about Oakland non-profit organizations, community groups and engaged citizens.

…Centered on topics including environmental justice, food distribution, transportation, development & housing, arts & education, and gender & identity, Oakland Local aggregates information and news from local non-profits and community organizations working on these topics within a range of Oakland neighborhoods.

Stories: “People’s Grocery wins humanitarian award”; “Peralta Elementary School’s annual walk-a-thon is a big success”; “Liberation Ink co-op starts membership program to stay open, meet costs”

Focus: “News of the Great Nearby”; “…a daily guide to local and Northwest news, and a forum where writers and citizens with many points of view can report and discuss local news”; non-breaking news, aggregated news, topics, from other online media sources; original content; blogs; regional coverage includes Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, British Columbia, Montana; content categories include arts/living, business, politics, science/environment

Started: April 2007 (as LLC, then converted to non-profit December 2008)

Staff: founded by civic leaders, investors; content generated by ”contract writers, freelancers, prominent figures in the community or in a given field, and normal folks and specialists who have something to report or something to say,” according to the site; more than 40 contributors; paid freelancers; contributor solicitations

Funding: non-profit according to site, 501c3 status with IRS is “pending” as of November 2008 (could be outdated info); started as Crosscut LLC then converted to Crosscut Public Media; from About Us, revenue sources: “annual memberships, donations from individuals, grants and foundation support, and advertising sponsorships. In the future, we expect to produce some events, such as conferences, that will also generate income. This model resembles public broadcast, except there is no government money in the mix.” 

Site: crosscut.com

From About Us

Crosscut is a daily guide to local and Northwest news, and a forum where writers and citizens with many points of view can report and discuss local news. News coverage as traditionally practiced by mainstream media outlets coexists with advocacy journalism and opinion. Crosscut is a general-interest news site, with coverage ranging over politics, business, arts and lifestyle, and the world of ideas. It does thoughtful and fresh analysis of the important issues of the day, not routine breaking news.

Sample stories: “King County’s running out of cuts”; “Real radio is found in Bellevue” (posted to a Crosscut blog); “A taste of the next mayor’s diet”; “What would Jane Jacobs do about the viaduct?”; “Seattle schools’ next hot potato: Student assignment plans”; “Are we happier in the West?”; “Obama science goes schizophrenic on salmon restoration”

Focus: statewide, regional news, politics, environment, growth, border issues, poverty, culture categories; original reporting; blog roundup

Started: April 2008

Staff:  5 — Editor Gwyneth Doland, two senior writers, two reporter/bloggers; plus 4 contributing columnists, 1 cartoonist

Site: newmexicoindependent.com (one of six news sites with the non-profit Center for Investigative Media  project)

Funding: non-profit project of Center for Investigative Media; “donations” link forwards to CIM site in Washington, DC

 From About Us page

Local news in context: The New Mexico Independent is a fleet-footed webpaper of politics and policy. We are the ink-stained wretches of the digital era. We aim for snap-crackle-pop reporting in our articles and blog posts – all working together to tell a bigger story. We provide thought-provoking commentary from insightful experts. We write to record scenes from the passing show, to stir things up and to keep those in power honest. We seek to explore and define the Land of Enchantment and the context for our times.

Sample stories: “Chavez, Berry exchange fire over campaign HQ rent”; “BernCo Sheriff Darren White endorses Berry for mayor”; “NM’s rising rate of unemployment could bring new stimulus money”; “Throw enough money at Johnny and surely he’ll read” (commentary)

Focus: “A thoughtful approach to news”; original reporting on state, regional news, politics, health, science, business, sports; a “community voices” section; blogger commentary; book club; multi-media component; national/world news from Christian Science Monitor news service

Started: 2007 (end of)

Staff: CEO, Editor Joel Kramer started project; other staff are a managing editor, web editor, director of operations, editor, news editor, advertising director; launched with 25 journalists contribution agreement

Funding: non-profit: start-up funding of $850,000 came from four families, according to site; foundation support from James L. Knight Foundation; Blandin Foundation to launch Greater Minnesota Project; as of June 30, 2008, site had 904 member-donors contributing from $10 to $10,000, according to site; advertising sold. 

Site: minnpost.com

Our mission is to provide high-quality journalism for news-intense people who care about Minnesota. We intend to focus sharply on that mission, and not get distracted by trying to be all things or serve all people.

MinnPost.com provides news and analysis Monday through Friday, based on reporting by professional journalists, most of whom have decades of experience in the Twin Cities media.

…Our goal is to create a sustainable business model for this kind of journalism, supported by corporate sponsors, advertisers, and members who make annual donations. High-quality journalism is a community asset that sustains democracy and quality of life, so we are asking people who believe in it to support our work.

Sample stories: “Teamsters’ early endorsement of Rybak unusual boost for ‘unofficial’ guv candidate”; “Scientist offers dire scenario at climate-change symposium in Minneapolis”; “Update: Amid ‘tough week’ of turmoil, Minnesota ACORN folks say they’re continuing outreach work”

Media Mentions: from Knight Foundation press release, August 2007: “MinnPost to launch later this year with partial funding from Knight Foundation”; N

Focus: hyperlocal, citizen-journalism news site for Grand Rapids; open-sourced; coverage categories include news, politics, communinty life, sports, opinion

Started: Sept. 15, 2009

Staff: 4: Publisher Laurie Cirivello, Citizen Journalism Coordinator Denise Cheng, Content Facilitator Drew Storey, New Media Planner George Wietor; online solicitation to be a citizen reporter for the site; Project of the Grand Rapids Community Media Center, which runs non-profit WYCE-FM (88.1), the Wealthy Theatre, GRTV and Livewire cable access television, according to Grand Rapids Press report

Funding: non-profit: grants and support from the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Knight Foundation, Slemons Foundation

Site: therapidian.org

From About page

The Rapidian is a citizen journalism project intended to increase the flow of local news and information in the Grand Rapids community and its neighborhoods.

By providing tools, training, platforms and support, we hope to empower neighborhood residents to report the news from the inside out. We are an outlet for Grand Rapidians to become more than just content consumers but also providers by becoming citizen journalists.

We are currently in our beta phase and appreciate any feedback from our participants to make the most user friendly site possible.

Sample stories: “Social networking on the rise”; “Park(ing) Day 2009: A photo essay”; “Community rowing program unites different schools into a crew”; “ArtPrize piece catches fire in Cathedral Square”; “Health care demonstration”

Media mentions:  Grand Rapids Press online article 9/15/09: “Grand Rapids citizen journalism site The Rapidian launches”

Focus: “It’s your town, read all about it”; 5-day week online news site covering people, cities, neighborhoods in New Haven; original reporting, links to other sites with New Haven news

Started: 2005

Staff:  13; Editor Paul Bass, a veteran New Haven reporter, Managing Editor Melissa Bailey; 4 staff writers; 5 contributing reporters; bureau chiefs in capital, outlying communities; print partnership with La Voz Hispana, state’s largest circulation Spanish paper

Funding: non-profit — donations, grants, sponsors; site is ;”produced in conjunction with the Online Journalism Project, a not-for-profit effort to promote professional-quality ‘stand-alone’ and ‘hyperlocal’ news sites on the Internet.”

Site: newhavenindependent.org

From About Us

New Haven Independent.org is rooted in and devoted to the city. We believe that democracy starts at home, with smart, thorough, in-depth local news reporting and broad citizen debate about local issues. Thanks to the Internet, journalists and news-deprived citizens need no longer be hostages to out-of-state media conglomerates. We can reclaim our communities. Power of the press now belongs not to those who own one, but to those who own a modem.

Sample stories: “After crash, cop rescued from car”; “Anti-blight bill becomes law”; “Cops arrest lab tech in Annie Le murder”

Media mentions: in New York Times story about local weekly New Haven Advocate outsourcing stories to India, “Made in India, but published in New Haven”