MorristownGreen.com chosen by Dodge Foundation for local news project

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MorristownGreen.com is excited to be part of the Local News Lab, a pilot project launched this week by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation with support from the Knight Foundation.

The venture will explore ways to make local journalism sustainable in the wake of economic shifts that have whipsawed “legacy” media. The need for information is greater than ever. How to pay for it is the challenge.

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Our sister sites in the Local News Lab are  Jersey Shore Hurricane NewsBrick City Live, The Lo-DownNew Brunswick Today and Sheepshead Bites.

“Morristown is the home of the Dodge Foundation and we are deeply committed to supporting meaningful journalism right here in our back yard,” said Molly de Aguiar  of the Dodge Foundation. “Morristown Green has been a longtime partner in so much of our work across the arts, education and environmental causes we care about.”

Josh Stearns, who heads the project as the new director of journalism and sustainability at Dodge, added:

mg logo“Morristown Green was particularly interesting to us because of its history as part of a legacy newsroom, that has spun off and is transforming itself as an independent, community based news site.

“We were impressed by your willingness to try new ideas and experiment, but also the community you have built around your site via your events and volunteers,” Josh said.

MG has hosted six film festivals and sponsored or co-sponsored numerous music-, arts- and environmental fests, poetry nights, guest lectures and how-to sessions.

Some background about the Local News Lab is here. Statewide, Dodge CEO Chris Daggett has made sustainable journalism a primary focus of the foundation.

MG also is a proud member of the New Jersey News Commons, another Dodge-backed initiative led by Debra Galant at Montclair State University. Jeff Jarvis and his team at the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism  at the City University of New York have been extremely helpful as well. Both schools are involved in the Local News Lab.

The trade association LION — short for Local Independent Online News publishers– is another valuable resource.

Re-inventing an industry isn’t easy. Morristown Green will keep fighting the good fight. With so many bright and passionate partners–starting with you, our loyal readers, contributors and advertisers–we have plenty of reasons for optimism.

 

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