I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Gwyneth Doland was a columnist and editor at the Santa Fe Reporter and Weekly Alibi before joining the New Mexico Independent when it launched in April, 2008. She is a director of the New Mexico chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and a correspondent for KNME-TV’s public affairs program, New Mexico in Focus. She teaches in the Communication and Journalism Department at the University of New Mexico. A native of Washington, D.C., Gwyneth has lived in Albuquerque since 1994. She has a degree in sociology and anthropology from a little Quaker school called Earlham College. That means yes, she is studying you, but no, she’s not judging you. You can reach Gwyneth at gdoland@newmexicoindependent.com. On Twitter, she’s @gwynethdoland. The team tweets under @nmindependent.
Trip Jennings, Senior WriterTrip Jennings has worked in newspapers for nearly 20 years, including the Albuquerque Journal, where he reported on Gov. Bill Richardson, the New Mexico Legislature and state government. In addition to New Mexico, Trip has worked in Georgia, California, Florida and Connecticut where he covered a governor who went to federal prison for corruption. Trip can be reached at tjennings@newmexicoindependent.com
Marjorie Childress, ReporterMarjorie Childress lives and works in Albuquerque. She is one of the voices behind m-pyre, a local blog founded in 2004. She has a graduate degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of New Mexico, and works for the SouthWest Organizing Project. All of the reporting and views she expresses in various formats on the Independent’s Web site are solely Marjorie’s, and are not the statements or opinions of the Southwest Organizing Project or any other community group with which Marjorie is affiliated. You can reach Marjorie at mchildress@newmexicoindependent.com.
Matthew is The Independent’s webcasting and live blogging ninja, having spent three legislative sessions attached to his computer nearly 24/7. Before joining NMI, Matt co-founded New Mexico FBIHOP. He has been blogging about politics since September of 2005 and about New Mexico politics since February of 2006. You can reach him at mreichbach@newmexicoindependent.com. On Twitter he’s @fbihop.
Bryant Furlow, ReporterBryant Furlow is an investigative government and health care journalist based in Albuquerque. He covered Rio Arriba County for the Rio Grande SUN, where he won a first-place New Mexico Press Association / Associated Press award for investigative reporting. He can be reached at bfurlow@newmexicoindependent.com.
The New Mexico Independent is published by The American Independent News Network, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.
The American Independent News Network (AINN) investigates and disseminates news that impacts public debate and advances the common good. To accomplish its mission, we operate a growing independent online news network, currently comprised of six news sites that provide daily original reporting. An informed citizenry is a fundamental principle of civil society and American democracy; in the words of the Supreme Court in Garrison v. Louisiana: “Speech concerning public affairs is more than self-expression; it is the essence of self government.” Our reporting emphasizes 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 American Independent News Network is funded by individual donors and foundations. For a current list of supporters, please visit The American Independent News Network and consider making a tax deductible contribution to support our work.
The American Independent News Network was founded as the Center for Independent Media on May 1, 2006, as a nonpartisan nonprofit organization. The organization created the New Journalist Pilot Program to test the hypothesis that a melding of blog technology with the standards of professional journalism could produce original news and information, which in turn would contribute to diversifying public debate around issues of importance.
The New Journalist Pilot Program operated first in two states — Colorado and Minnesota. Seventeen people participated in this fellowship program, collectively producing more than 2,200 original reports from July through October. A significant number of these reports triggered statewide and national attention, by drawing attention to important issues through the production of news that adhered to the standards of professional journalism. Approximately 29 million Americans were reached through the program, online and offline via television, radio, and newspapers picking up stories originated by the Fellows in the program.
Based on the successful performance of the New Journalist Pilot Program, a decision was made to expand operations and increase the number of programs. In May 2007, the Center for Independent Media launched its third program, in Iowa. In September 2007, the Center launched its fourth program, in Michigan. A national program, based in Washington, D.C., was launched in January 2008, followed by a New Mexico program in April 2008. A Florida program is scheduled to launch in June 2010.
In January 2010, the Center for Independent Media changed its name to The American Independent News Network to better reflect its mission as an online news network.
Reach
From the launch of our first site in July 2006 through December 2009, AINN has tallied:
33.6 million unique visitors on sites.
1,430 citations of our reporters in newspapers and periodicals.
680 appearances by our reporters on TV and radio.
All told, our reporters generated over 750 million impressions on TV, radio, and newspapers.
