Voice of San Diego

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voiceofsandiego.org is a nonprofit, independent online newspaper focused on issues impacting the San Diego region.

The newspaper's mission is to consistently deliver ground-breaking investigative journalism for the San Diego region, to increase civic participation by giving citizens the knowledge and in-depth analysis necessary to become informed advocates for good government and social progress.

[edit] History

voiceofsandiego.org is considered a pioneer in the burgeoning movement of nonprofit online dailies. Since its founding Feb. 9, 2005 by philanthropist Buzz Woolley and veteran newspaperman Neil Morgan, it has earned a reputation for aggressive investigative reporting, insightful commentary and its new media model.

It was founded in part out of a growing dissatisfaction with the local coverage of The San Diego Union-Tribune, the region's major metropolitan daily newspaper. The paper had a reputation for less-than-stellar local coverage and was perceived to be more of an advocate for the city's rich and powerful than as a watchdog and public servant.

voiceofsandiego.org focuses largely on local quality-of-life issues. It began primarily as a reporting source on local government and politics, and has slowly grown to include coverage of education, housing, environment and public safety. In addition to its in-depth news stories, produced by professional journalists, it also publishes house editorials, fact-based columns from Scott Lewis (Scott Lewis on Politics, or SLOP) and others, and contributions from community members; it also features a number of opinion and and news blogs.

With a paid staff of nine, it employees two editors, five beat reporters, a photographer and a development manager. It relies on a funding mix of foundation grants, member donations and advertising.

[edit] Recognition

With the state of newspapers in flux and their business models failing, voiceofsandiego.org has been looked to as one of many emerging models to help print journalism adapt to new technologies, reader behavior and advertising priorities. Similar models are being undertaken in Minneapolis, St. Louis and other cities around the country.

Its staff has also garnered many awards for its journalism. Staff writer Will Carless' three-part special report on life in a makeshift migrant camp took home the Best of Show award at the 2006 San Diego Press Club awards and the 2007 San Diego Society of Professional Journalists awards, beating out competition from the region's largest print organizations. To compose the piece, Carless spent a week living inside a migrant camp nestled into the hills around the region's million-dollar homes, providing readers with a vivid account of the lives of the men caught up in the national immigration debate.

Nationally, the Society of Professional Journalists awarded voiceofsandiego.org's Andrew Donohue its Sigma Delta Chi award for online investigative reporting in 2007 for an investigation into a local affordable housing agency.