Minnesota Independent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Minnesota Independent | |
|---|---|
 |
|
 |
|
| URL | http://www.minnesotaindependent.com/ |
| Commercial? | No |
| Type of site | Online Magazine |
| Registration | To Add Comments |
| Owner | Center for Independent Media |
| Created by | Center for Independent Media |
| Launched | August 2006 |
The Minnesota Independent, formerly Minnesota Monitor, is an independent online newsmagazine. It launched in August of 2006, with a focus on coverage of political issues. The newsmagazine is funded by the Center for Independent Media, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that supports community-based reporting from a left-leaning perspective. The site publishes daily and is free to view.
Contents |
[edit] Background
Minnesota Monitor is staffed by paid fellows who receive a stipend for their writing contributions.[1] The initial pool of writers included a number of liberal Minnesota bloggers, including original site editor Robin Marty, Somali journalist Abdi Ayne (now working for the BBC), Joe Bodell and others. Later, the site brought on board professional journalists, such as Eric Black, who had written for the Star Tribune, and former City Pages writers Paul Demko and Molly Priesmeyer.
The site is currently edited by Steve Perry and managing editor Paul Schmelzer, and boasts traffic of about 50,000 unique visitors per month.
[edit] History
Minnesota Monitor has broken a number of major stories in its brief existence. During the Keith Ellison Qur'an oath controversy, the Monitor's Abdi Aynte reported that Keith Ellison would not change his mind about being sworn in on the Qur'an. The Monitor also was the first to report that Living Word Christian Center may have violated IRS guidelines during a speech at the Church by Michele Bachmann. The story resulted in an ethical complaint being filed by CREW against the church.
The site also broke news that Minnesota United States Attorney Rachel Paulose was under investigation for mishandling classified information, and that a staffer for Rep. Michele Bachmann had sent out an emailed plea for support that violated house ethics rules.[2]
Minnesota Monitor writers have won several awards. Media writer Paul Schmelzer won a 2007 Frank Premack Award for Public Affairs Journalism from the University of Minnesota School of Journalism [3] and a 2nd Place in the 2006 Society of Professional Journalists Page One Awards.[4] The site was nominated for the Koufax Awards in 2007[5], and Andy Birkey was a finalist for the 2007 Online Journalism Award for his coverage of LGBT issues.[6]
[edit] Controversy
The Minnesota Monitor came under fire from Minnesota blogger Michael Brodkorb in October of 2006. He asserted that the Center for Independent Media was funded by Media Matters for America, and by extension, George Soros.[7] In a response, Monitor editor Robin Marty stated that "the Center for Independent Media is not receiving funding from Media Matters for America."[8]. The Center has since published a list of its donors, which includes 15 named foundations[9], among them the Open Society Institute, a nonprofit founded by George Soros. Because of this, conservative bloggers have taken the former editor's unwillingness to explain the site's funding sources as license to refer to Monitor staffers as "Soros employee[s]." [10] One Monitor fellow, Jeff Fecke, has joked about receiving the "sweet, sweet Soros money." [11]
[edit] Editorial Stance
The Minnesota Monitor's focus and editorial slant is politically liberal. For the most part, fellows have been drawn from the liberal blogging community in Minnesota. However, the site features a code of ethics that reads in part, "New Journalist Fellows should be honest, tireless, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information for the public."[12] While the site leans left, it attempts to be more fact-based than a typical weblog.
[edit] Contributors
- Andy Birkey
- Joe Bodell
- Tom Elko
- Dan Haugen
- Robin Marty (Editor Emeritus)
- Steve Perry (Editor)
- Molly Priesmeyer
- Paul Schmelzer (Managing Editor)
- Chris Steller
[edit] References
- ^ Center for Independent Media ยป Programs
- ^ Minnesota Monitor:: Bachmann Email May Violate Federal Law, House Ethics Rules
- ^ Minnesota Monitor's Schmelzer wins a 2007 Premack Public Affairs Journalism Award
- ^ Center for Independent Media's 'New Journalist Program' Bloggers Win Journalism Awards
- ^ Minnesota Monitor nominated for a Koufax Award
- ^ Online Journalism Awards: 2007 Online Journalism Awards - Finalists
- ^ Mde Exclusive: Minnesota Monitor & Center For Independent Media Exposed | Minnesota Democrats Exposed
- ^ Minnesota Monitor:: Brodkorb Gets It Wrong Again
- ^ Center for Independent Media:: Donate page
- ^ Shot In The Dark: Fact-Checking The Fact-Checkers For "Facts" That Aren't Facially Actually Factual
- ^ The Fifth Annual Golden Brownies 2006 Extravaganza | Blog of the Moderate Left
- ^ Minnesota Monitor:: Code of Ethics
