Reporting that Doesn’t Exist Today on Issues You Care Deeply About

Problem:

Since January 1, 2008, 46,599 U.S. journalism jobs have been lost. Why? The business model that’s supported journalism for our entire lives has collapsed. Advertising revenue alone is no longer sufficient to guarantee robust reporting. Because of cost cutting, the mainstream media have nearly abandoned in-depth coverage of environmental issues.

What does this mean to you?

• A dozen new coal-fired power plants are planned for Texas, but there is almost no reporting on the way those plants will impact the air you breathe, life in the lakes you enjoy and the state’s nation-leading global warming emissions.
• Texas is home to one of the country’s largest natural gas boons. The industry brings billions into the economy, which pleases local politicians, but reporters are missing-in-action when it comes to calculating and explaining the consequences of the drilling on your water, land and air.
• Uranium mining in the Lone Star State uses techniques known to harm aquifers, but few reporters understand the issue, and fewer still are willing ask state regulators how they intend to protect you.
• Water becomes more precious everyday as the population explodes. Cities propose new lakes in environmentally sensitive areas.  Developers build sprawling subdivisions in rural communities with no infrastructure. Investors, dreaming of big returns, buy up water rights.  There ought to be a tremendous amount of journalism about the Texas water supply, but it’s difficult to find any at all.

Solution:

pressforthePeople, a new independent journalism service will provide paying subscribers and the mainstream media streams of news stories about Texas environmental issues, with an especially strong focus of the effects of energy and population growth on the environment.

The news will be produced by some of the state’s best television and print reporters.  It will be objective, credible and professional, and as a result, its stories will often get run by a network of mainstream television, radio and print media partners.  Because the news service exists, the mass audience in Texas will be better informed about issues you care deeply about.

STORIES: At launch, more than a dozen highly experienced professional reporters will focus exclusively on Texas environmental issues, including:

• Does the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality protect you or does it look the other way when it comes to regulating politically connected polluters?
• Does the Railroad Commission adequately protect you when it comes to natural gas or oilfield pollution?
• We will track and consistently report to you about legislation that impacts the Texas environment.
• We will respond to tips and Investigate pollution sites throughout Texas
• The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission (http://www.sunset.state.tx.us/) is set to review several environmental agencies in 2010/2011 (http://www.sunset.state.tx.us/2011.htm): Coastal Coordination Council (http://www.glo.state.tx.us/coastal/cmp.html), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/), Soil and Water Conservation Board (http://www.tsswcb.state.tx.us/), Texas Forest Service (http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/main/default.aspx), Water Development Board (http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/home/index.asp). Every twelve years, the twelve-member Sunset Commission questions the need for each of the more than 150 government agencies in Texas. Mostly overlooked by mainstream media, we commit to covering these hearings, reviews, and decisions in an unparalleled manner.

PRESENTATION: As a subscriber, we envision ultimately providing Internet newscasts provided in high definition streaming video. The stories (video and text) will also be made available through email, RSS and mobile platforms, including IPhone and Blackberry.

MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Because of the support of subscribers like you, mainstream media partners (television, radio, and print) will get frequent updates on environmental stories throughout Texas bringing exposure that is currently non-existent to many important and complicated issues.

Your Subscriber Benefits:

• The beat exists because of subscribers.  All of the news produced is due to the support of a base of subscribers who are interested in environmental issues. Your subscription sponsors and guarantees that the information will exist for consumption by the environmental community and the general public.
• One Stop Shopping for Environmental News: You will get access to all stories produced by our reporters, both current and historical, including all updates and breaking news reports as they occur.
• Subscribers will get direct communication with editorial staff, meaning you will have the ability to provide tips and pitch story ideas. Stories will be produced based on merit, but unlike today, you can be confident that reporters will be interested in your ideas.
• Expose the Polluter Service: Citizens will be encouraged to provide tips and evidence on company’s and people who are harming the environment.  The goal of this forum is to promote good behavior when possible as well as increased regulation of those caught polluting.
• Conversation Forums: We are developing a conversation visualization tool, which will graphically depict the community’s consensus on important environmental issues. You will be invited to join your neighbors, as well as companies and policymakers, in a conversation about issues identified by our stories and by the community itself. The goal is to give people who care about the environment increased political leverage with policymakers by making it crystal clear where the community stands on issues that impact the environment.

So How Do We Create the Environmental News Beat?

The Mainstream Media Can’t Pay:

It is a difficult time to launch a new media company.  Because of the sharp declines in advertising revenue that are causing journalism job cuts, the mainstream media cannot afford to foot the bill for intensive coverage of the environment.

Investors Won’t Pay:

Because of the recession, investors are wary about providing the necessary capital to launch a new, and so far, unproven concept – especially for an industry that is currently in market failure.

Be the Change… Those Who Care Most Change the World:

We believe the funding solution lies in the beneficiaries of this news team. The product is created for and aimed at those who are passionate about environmental issues. However, the exposure of the stories through the mass media will benefit every Texan. It will be a gift to Texas from you.

The Funding Plan:

As a result, we are asking you, members of the environmental community, to take the bold step of subscribing in advance of the product’s creation to ensure that the reporting will soon exist.

We are looking for commitments from individuals and groups to pay for a year’s subscription in advance.  No payment will be collected until we receive commitments that raise enough money to fund the beat. (We will soon announce the required commitment level.) Once that commitment level is reached, we will collect payments and launch within four weeks.

How to Subscribe: You will be able to subscribe individually or groups can subscribe at a discounted rate that grants membership to every member.

Subscriber Rate: We are working to develop the rate.