News outlining the decline of local journalism in this country has been prolific in the last few years (ironic, right?). The traditional for-profit business model for many local news organizations was no longer profitable. Thousands of news organizations have gone out of business and many Americans now live in “news deserts.” Those with news organizations locally reported a lack of trust, local storytelling and a desire for more deeply reported issue that affect their daily lives.
After more than a year of surveys, planning and start-up, Houston Landing has launched its reporting via social media and an email newsletter. With a full digital media website to launch later this spring, Houston Landing will focus its efforts on becoming your trusted source for local news and provide watchdog coverage of governments and institutions in the greater Houston area.
More than $20 million in seed funding for the Houston Landing was provided by the Houston Endowment, Kinder Foundation and Arnold Ventures along with The American Journalism Project, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
The organization recently announced that Peter Bhatia will join founding editor, Mizanur Rahman, at the helm as the organization’s Chief Executive Officer. Bhatia was most recently the editor and VP of the Detroit Free Press. He has helped lead Pulitzer Prize-winning newsrooms.
“We are all about Houston, its people, its neighborhoods, its towering successes and its disheartening struggles. We will be in communities, just to listen, but also in pursuit of good stories. We will welcome feedback and the opportunity to hear about what is important to your community. We will be candid about Houston, about what is working and what is not,” says Bhatia
