There’s a new, online publication in
The New Mexico Independent launched on Tuesday. There are still some kinks to be worked out, but there are several articles already published on the site.
Let me tell you up front that I’m one of nine fellows who have been hired to report part-time for the site.
The site is published by the Center for Independent Media, a non-profit in
You’ll notice the use of the word “progressive” a lot on the center’s Web site. It was one of the first things I noticed when I began to hear about this project and consider becoming involved in it. I had numerous conversations with people involved and was assured that, though the staff in Washington and many involved in the state projects do identify themselves as progressives, that isn’t the focus of the center.
Instead, the center requires its journalists to uphold a code of ethics that’s similar to the one suggested by the Society of Professional Journalists. And its mission statement doesn’t talk about progressive politics. Here it is, in its entirety:
“The Center for Independent Media is a non-profit organization that fosters diversity of ideas in the national debate by educating and training people on the use of new communications technologies, such as the Internet, as an alternative publishing and distribution system to traditional broadcast and print media. The Center brings talented and diverse voices and ideas to the fore of our nation’s discourse, through its Fellowships, conferences, and research. Programs emphasize the importance of citizen-driven journalism as a critical founding principle of our nation, the positive role of democratically elected government in securing the common good and social welfare, and the continuing benefits of our founding culture of egalitarian government by the people, for the people.”
The point: I expect this to be a site dedicated to strong, journalistic coverage of politics and government. The managing editor is David Alire Garcia, who left his job at the Santa Fe Reporter to work for the site. The news editor is Trip Jennings, who left his job at the Albuquerque Journal to work for the site.
In addition to me, the fellows include six trained journalists and two openly progressive bloggers. All of us are being trained to be online journalists.
What this means for my blog
What does this mean for Heath Haussamen on New Mexico Politics? I can publish articles that I write for The New Mexico Independent on this site as well, so it won’t take time or content away from my blog. It means that some of the stories you read here can also be read on the other site, but my blog will also continue to contain exclusive content you won’t find anywhere else.
I pledge to continue to remain independent and as non-partisan as I can be in my writing and reporting. Some of you will smirk when you read that, because you already believe I’m a Democrat or Republican. Know that some people on both sides view me as part of the other side, for whatever that’s worth.
My goal has been nothing more than doing good journalism that informs and helps empower people to become active in their government and that holds government accountable. That remains my goal, both through this blog and my work with The New Mexico Independent. I won’t do anything that I believe compromises my integrity or my ability to accomplish that goal.
I look forward to The New Mexico Independent becoming a force that influences the conversation and that
Feedback? Concerns? Ideas? Submit a comment below or e-mail me at heath@haussamen.com.