Pro Publica
Pro Publica is described in a New York Times article as a non-profit group dedicated to "a new kind of investigative journalism." According to the article, "Paul E. Steiger, who was the top editor of The Wall Street Journal for 16 years, and a pair of wealthy Californians are assembling a group of investigative journalists who will give away their work to media outlets. ... Pro Publica is the creation of Herbert M. Sandler and Marion O. Sandler, the former chief executives of the Golden West Financial Corporation (www.goldenwestworld.com), based in California, which was one of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders and savings and loans. They have committed $10 million a year to the project, while various foundations have provided smaller amounts. Mr. Sandler will serve as chairman of the group, which will begin operations early next year." [1]
Media scholar Robert Jensen writes in February 2008 that: "Pro Publica, an initiative launched last month in the United States to help revitalize investigative journalism, is a great idea trapped by the worst aspects of the best instincts in contemporary corporate commercial journalism. The project reminds us of important values at the core of the craft of journalism, but also exposes the common political confusions of mainstream journalists that so often undermine their best efforts." [2]
Their mission statement notes that:
- "ProPublica is an independent, non-profit newsroom that will produce investigative journalism in the public interest. Our work will focus exclusively on truly important stories, stories with “moral force.” We will do this by producing journalism that shines a light on exploitation of the weak by the strong and on the failures of those with power to vindicate the trust placed in *Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Contents
Officers
Accessed February 2008: [3]
- Herbert Sandler - Chairman
- Paul Steiger - Editor-in-Chief
- Stephen Engelberg - Managing Editor
- Richard Tofel - General Manager
Supporters
Accessed February 2008: [4]
- Sandler Foundation (www.sandlerfoundation.org)
- The Atlantic Philanthropies
- JEHT Foundation
- John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
- Cleary Gottlieb - pro bono commercial counsel
Advisory Board
Accessed February 2008: [5]
- Jill Abramson, a managing editor of The New York Times
- Martin D. Baron, the editor of The Boston Globe
- David Boardman , the executive editor of the Seattle Times
- Robert A. Caro, historian and biographer of Robert Moses and Lyndon Johnson
- John S. Carroll, the former editor of the Los Angeles Times and the Baltimore Sun
- L. Gordon Crovitz, a former publisher of The Wall Street Journal
- David Gergen, professor of public service at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and director of its Center for Public Leadership
- Shawn McIntosh, the director of culture and change at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Gregory L. Moore, the editor of The Denver Post
- Priscilla Painton, the new editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster
- Allan Sloan, a senior editor at large for Fortune magazine
- Cynthia A. Tucker, the editor of the editorial page of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Other
Their website provides links to the following other media groups: [6]
- Center for Investigative Reporting
- Center for Media and Democracy
- The Center for Public Integrity
- Investigative Reporters and Editors
- The Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism
Critical Articles
- Jack Shafer, "What Do Herbert and Marion Sandler Want? Investigating the funders of ProPublica, the new investigative journalism outfit," Slate, October 15, 2007.
- Michael Barker, "Investigating the Investigators: A Critical Look at Pro Publica" (Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 3), Spinwatch, February 29, 2008.
- "ProPublica and NYT seek $1M to put everyone’s documents online", The Nieman Journalism Lab, November 2, 2008.
- Harry Browne, "Foundation-Funded Journalism: Reasons to be Wary of Charitable Support", Journalism Studies, 11(6): 889-903.
Contact
ProPublica
One Exchange Plaza, 55 Broadway, 23rd floor
New York, NY 10006
Phone: 1-212-514-5250
Web: http://www.propublica.org
Resources and articles
Related Sourcewatch articles
References
- ↑ Richard Perez-Pena, Group Plans to Provide Investigative Journalism, New York Times, October 15, 2007.
- ↑ Robert Jensen, "Investigative Journalism Project Reveals Problem at Core of Mainstream Journalism", Znet, February 6, 2008.
- ↑ Officers, Pro Publica, accessed February 7, 2008.
- ↑ Supporters, Pro Publica, accessed February 7, 2008.
- ↑ Advisory Board, Pro Publica, accessed February 13, 2008.
- ↑ Other Sources, Pro Publica, accessed February 7, 2008.
