Citizen Outreach Foundation officially launched a new independent, non-partisan news service today. The Nevada News Bureau (NNB) will provide original statehouse and government reporting, as well as stories on state and local politics. Material produced by the service will be distributed free of charge for use by Nevada media sources and bloggers provided stories are reprinted intact and appropriate credit is given.
“The Nevada News Bureau will adhere to no political philosophy other than a belief in open, transparent government at all levels,” said Chuck Muth, president of Citizen Outreach, adding that writers, editors and contributors will abide by the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.
The Nevada News Bureau has hired Elizabeth Crum as its founding editor. “E,” as she is commonly known, previously worked as a freelance writer, award-winning blogger and “new media” consultant.
“Too many newspapers and television news teams in Nevada have been forced to cut back on statehouse reporting and investigative journalism, including the elimination of long-time, experienced writers,” Crum says. “This has lessened the traditional media’s ability to be a vigilant government watchdog for the voters and the taxpayers of Nevada. We hope to fill in at least part of that void.”
Veteran statehouse reporter Sean Whaley has been hired as NNB’s Carson City bureau chief and reporter. Whaley has worked in the news business since graduating from San Jose State University with a journalism degree in 1981. He provided statehouse reporting in Carson City for the Las Vegas Review-Journal from 1989 through 2008, including nine regular sessions and nine special sessions of the Legislature. Whaley filed his first story for NNB earlier today.
NNB also plans to add a full-time political reporter to be based in Las Vegas in time to cover the 2010 elections.
“We’re certainly no threat to the Associated Press,” says Muth, “but if we do our jobs right we’ll be a major threat to Nevada’s public and elected officials who try to pull the wool over citizens’ eyes or try to operate in the shadows rather than the full light of day where all of us can see what they’re up to.”
Stories will be offered thrrough NNB’s website, an RSS feed, a daily e-Brief, and a newswire service that will go out to Nevada media. Editors and publishers who wish to subscribe to Nevada News Bureau free newswire service can email Elizabeth Crum at editor@nevadanewsbureau.com
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