The Newton News Foundation, Inc., a recently formed nonprofit corporation, will hold a community meeting to discuss the establishment of The Newton Beacon, a non-profit weekly digital newspaper. The meeting, open to the public, will be held Thursday, June 16, from 7 to 8 pm at the Durant-Kenrick House, 286 Waverley Ave., Newton.
The Newton Beacon will provide fair, factual, professional reporting and analysis of issues affecting Newton, including its government, businesses, institutions, and people, according to its organizers.
The impetus for the creation of The Newton Beacon is the decline of local news. It has been years since Newton has had real local news coverage. Numerous studies have shown that the decline of local news is linked to lower voter participation, a corrosion of fact-based decision making and a weakening of government accountability.
The Newton Beacon will be governed by an independent board of directors who will represent a diverse cross section of the city. The board will have fiduciary and operational responsibilities, but decisions about the coverage and content will be the sole responsibility of the paid professional journalists.
The current board membership includes Newton residents Matt Hills, Joe Hunter, Allison Kessler, Rhanna Kidwell, Anne Larner and Alan Schlesinger.
At the community meeting, members of the Foundation board will introduce the new newspaper and discuss the rationale for its creation and the timeline of events that will lead to the launch. The discussion will include information on opportunities to become involved in the effort. For more information, email [email protected] or visit newtonbeacon.org
how did they solve the revenue issue? Its either driven by Ads or Corporations will sponsor the entire operation. ie is it just going to be developer/real estate funded newspaper?
No, we plan to fund the operations primarily from grants and fundraising. We may have some paid advertising, but it would be a relatively small part of the revenue stream.
Were ARPA funds used to help launch the “Newton Beacon”?
@Jon – It says elsewhere on this thread that no ARPA funds were used … though they did apply for them and were turned down.
I hope to be at the meeting to hear the answer to those questions Bugek, and express my excitement at the possibilities.
We are so far beyond needing an independent news source in Newton. I’m hoping for the best here.
Want to give this a chance, but I have to ask…
Can the paper be truly nonpartisan if one of the founders’ law firm represents nearly every developer who’s ever applied for a special permit?
We all need to watch it Matt. I hear what you’re saying, but there looks like a fairly diverse range of folk in the initial board. This is so desperately needed in our city I hope we suspend our negativity until there’s reason!
Alan Schlesinger? Are you kidding me?
This is like Reibman and V14 all over again.
That’s a non-starter in my book and makes me suspicious of the motives of the others, like Matt Hills and Rihanna Kidwell. Kidwell’s interactions on V14, particularly during the Charter process, were close-minded and overly partisan. Not trustworthy.
Reconsider the board, or this is dead in the water for me.
Really hope I’m wrong Terry, but Alan worked for/represented Northland, while Joe, Anne and Rhanna all publically endorsed them. Time will tell if Beacon can provide, “fair, factual, professional reporting and analysis” particularly on matters of development and zoning. We’ll see…
https://www.northlandnewtondevelopment.com/endorsements
Guys, please use the threaded comments feature…
This is wonderful news indeed
The names on this list represent a thin slice of Newton interests. They live in the center of the city and advocate for the elite and rich of Newton. This new digital news group must be broader and select more Asians plus north side community people from Nonantum and Auburndale.
Here’s hoping that all of Mr. Lai’s fears come to fruition. Newton would be very well served by a news outlet which countered the incredible and entirely hypocritical strain of NIMBYism all too prevalent in this city. Perhaps we can see the same Twilight of the NIMBY here as the NY Times documented is taking place in the Bay Area.
Where can I make my donation?
C’mon folks, let’s give this new effort a chance before finding reasons why it’s so terrible for not confirming our biases and failing to reinforce our own views and self-worth.
Agree, we should keep an open mind. However, they are claiming to solve a problem EVERY small town/city in America is experiencing
Yes, it can be solved if special interest corporations fund it in exchange for favorable press. Especially since zoning is still being actively discussed.
Ie. We are not fools.
No one will force you to read it. I applaud the effort and go in with an open mind. Every major paper in the U.S is partisan-that’s the purpose of an editorial page. Why don’t we wait to hear how news gathering and reporting will work before assuming their are sinister reasons behind the effort.
It’s interesting to me that Newton isn’t unique. See http://www.Marbleheadbeacon.com. This is a similar situation replacing a now defunct Tab like paper. I’m curious how these are all happening together with the same name? Does someone know what’s behind this, and how Boards were approached and identified? Like many the composition of the Newton Board concerns me….a lot.
I’ve consciously avoided posting here for months now, but this is far too interesting.
A few thoughts …. I think nearly everyone agrees that a city Newton’s size having no local news coverage is clearly a bad thing. A group of civic minded folks got together and are trying to so something about that. They’ve committed to hiring professional reporters and editors who would be in charge of the actual news that gets reported and they’ve publicly committed to aiming for un-slanted news coverage. Before those people have been hired and written their first word its impossible to evaluate how unbiased or even handed they will eventually be in their news coverage.
So for now, how about everyone take a pause. Lets commend these folks for taking on this daunting task on as a volunteer effort for all of our benefit. Down the road there will be plenty of opportunity to evaluate the news coverage and criticize it if necessary. In the meantime this group has already announced a public meeting to solicit the public’s thoughts and has begun setting up a larger community advisory board that will presumably include a wider swatch of Newton citizens,
They’re doing all the right things so far as I can see, so lets cut them a break, see how it unfolds over time before complaining about what you imagine might happen down the road.
The fact that we readily accept newspapers to be partisan is a sadly reflection of today’s society.
Will be interesting if Newton Beacon will claim to be independent and also report its funding souces.
Jerry,
Your statement is easily challenged
“Before those people have been hired and written their first word its impossible to evaluate how unbiased or even handed they will eventually be in their news coverage.”
If we know that 80% of the funding comes from real estate professionals, its not unreasonable to predict zoning, development articles will be painted in a very favorable light.
Eg if the NRA funded a local newspaper, would you reallt expect non biased reporting on shooting massacres? Hell no
@Bugek – “If we know that 80% of the funding comes from real estate professionals”. Yes, if we did, but we don’t. They haven’t raised the money yet.
As long as they commit to full funding disclosure, residents can decide how much salt is needed to read certain articles.
This is a nonprofit newspaper, funded by donors. Unlike a political campaign, however, the donor identities do not legally have to be made public. The funding anonymity and the presence of attorney Alan Schlesinger on the board are my two biggest concerns.
For me, the Newton Beacon will only be credible if its parent company, Newton News Foundation, Inc., agrees to periodically publish its full donor list, with names and contribution amounts. If they won’t do this, readers should stay away.
+1. Not an unreasonable request. Ppl can decide for themselves after full disclosure
If I recall correctly, one of The Beacon’s board members, Matt Hills, [in his capacity as Chair of the School Committee], was found to have violated the state’s Open Meeting Law FOUR times. Hills deliberately held meetings in private to suppress details of the plagiarism scandal involving the Superintendent of Schools.
Secrecy and journalism make a bad mix. Hills presence on the board of The Beacon, does not bode well for the journalistic integrity required of such a venture. Any skepticism is well warranted.
@Matt & Colleen-
One look at the composition of this
newspaper’s board and their current/prior involvement in Newton politics tells me all I need to know about this “newspaper”.
I’m taking a hard pass on this venture.
I’m hoping they have a comics page! And maybe a “can you spot the five differences?” thing. And even if they don’t, I’m looking forward to it. If it’s no good, or slanted in a certain direction, it won’t succeed. The market will take care of it. Or maybe it’ll prompt a competitive venture, and we’d go to two local papers!
@Dan, so will conservative voices be allowed?
What if someone wrote about how helicopter money from this President was a major contributor to inflation? Or how energy policies put the cart before the horse contributing to inflation (you cant force electric cars until electricity is generated clean – a goal i agree with but is 20 years away). Both are unfortunately true. Need more national examples?
More locally, what if someone said the leaf blower ban is unbelievably stupid (it is – motorcycles and thousands of other things are loud and have emissions too – yet we penalize the working class)?
What if someone said the historical society rules are dumb (if you wait a year, you can destroy anything!)?
What if someone said the Mayor doesnt give a sh1t about school (never has, never will – lets cut the budget during pandemic recovery…smart, right?)?
What if someone called out the hypocrisy that the overnight parking ban severely impacts the same group that need street parking the most (those without a mcmansion and a 2-4 car garage – not very equitable is it?)?
What if someone called out that the NTA is at least materially in part responsible for the length of the stupid COVID school policies (politics are a b1tch, eh)?
What if we called out the absolute stupidity around the push to ban yards, single family homes, build “affordable” housing, and allow developers to keep doing bad things for the city (we dont need housing, we need a bigger revenue base through commercial and industrial to fund things like schools, parks, roads, senior center)?
Just curious. I could go on and on. will these views be accepted? Or will this be a lefty/developer echo chamber? I hope all legitimate views will be allowed. Fingers crossed! I am willing to give it a chance.
Frank, sounds like you’d be a good candidate for starting your own paper.
Why, because I speak what shall not be spoken of? The sh1tty policy that rules this town because the silent majority is too scared to speak up?
Be honest, with the social and emotional crises facing our schools, police community, and our Ukranian and Jewish neighbors…is it really appropriate to have such trivial and vindictive rules like leaf blow bans and overnight parking bans? I challenge Mayor Fuller to determine the cause and stop all the anti-semetic incidents in our schools. To find a way to keep our kids happy, healthy, educated and safe. To find a way to encourage our Police to be part of the fabric of the community, not a group that is targeted by morons on this site. etc etc etc
people need to get their heads out of their a$$es and focus on what matters.
I was serious Frank. There are many in the city who would benefit from leaving the progressive bubble, especially in light of the dismaying realities of the real world. But your comments indicate more of a willingness to settle grudges and relitigate past losses and grievances than in actually changing
minds.
@Ted, thanks for the comments, honestly. I guess I am beaten down feeling that things cant change. Largely Newton is a wonderful place, however it seems we approach the right problems in the wrong way all too often. I would love to be able to have a productive, non-biased outlet for discussion, news, etc. As you know I am not afraid to speak up and in our city and country broadly I do believe that most of the time, def not all the time, people can agree on the problem, but disagree on how to fix and what the fix should look like. Happy to go into examples, there are many, but when one side, either side, in any issue unilaterally decides the solution it will always be divisive and never permanent. Its sad really.
My fingers are genuinely crossed here that this new media works.
I suspect most of the news will actually be very fair and balanced actually… EXCEPT for anything related to real estate and zoning (the main souce of funding)
Every zoning issue will be reported through the lens of racism, equity, climate change and liberal guilt. Large developers painted as heros and saviours of Newton
.. just long enough for the new rezoning laws to be placed into law
@ Bugek…do you mean owning a single family home ISNT racist? Come on now. how provocative lol.
I wish half these people would step outside of the bubble that is Newton and the 495 belt and see that the rest of the country and world thinks these type of things are comical.
@Frank D – It sounds like you’re describing a blog rather than a newspaper. Everything you’ve mentioned is opinion rather than news
If it’s nonprofit, it won’t endorse candidates. So there’s that. Not sure what the policy would be regarding other opinion content.
I also think a reporter can work hard to be evenhanded, no matter the perceived bias of his or her management team.
Obviously hope for big success, but overcoming school parents’ apathy and building interest among that group would be a huge challenge.
I’ve been fortunate to have had a seat at the table as the Newton News Foundation has been formulating this project over several months, as well as an earlier incarnation that did not get off the ground prior to the pandemic. I do not have a seat on the foundation’s board.
While there are still many decisions to be made prior to the launch, the foundation has already committed to following the very rigorous editorial standards set by the Institute for Nonprofit News.
I hope that clarifies and moderates some of the concerns noted here.
Greg, it certainly is very helpful to know there are standards they intend to follow. Seems like most of the posters here making the most noise are just reacting to the lack of information and using this bit of news to restate their own political beliefs. It will be great to have something more than blogs and the Patch for regular Newton news. (on the opinion front, I’ve got plenty of my own opinions…)
In response to Greg Reibman’s comment above on the editorial standards of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN).
One of the stated INN standards is “Transparency. Any person relying on a nonprofit news site’s reporting should be able to easily learn the major financial supporters of the news outlet, and about its values and leadership. INN member newsrooms commit to financial transparency, letting the public know the institutions and individuals that provide significant levels of funding to support the journalism. INN members do not rely on anonymous donations or “dark money” to fund their journalism…”
So I assume that the Newton Beacon WILL be periodically publishing its full donor list, with names and contribution amounts. If they don’t do this, readers should stay away.
Debra:
I’d welcome the transparency. We agree on that. But I do note that many of this forum have been quick to paint our elected officials as tainted or corrupt with just a $1,000 political donation. I think transparency is important, but context is important as well.
After all, the Post is owned by Bezos, the Globe by John Henry, Fox News/Wall Street Journal by Murdoch. Pretty rare to find any journalistic paper not subject to some degree of wall between its owner/funder and the newsroom. I suppose the exception is the NY Times.
If you are looking for examples of bias in a locally funded non-profit newspaper based on public fundraising, you will surely find it. But in my mind I’d be more interested in hearing from the journalists about how the fundraising side of the endeavor doesn’t influence the news side.
And as above, I look forward to learning more about it and seeing the finished product over time before I judge it as a failure.
Any virtual options for the meeting on June 16?
@Debra: That’s the standard and that’s going to be the practice.
Greg – Is the Newton Beacon going to join the INN as a member or are they just going to follow their standards?
As a Journalist the past 36 years, I know well the importance of community daily newspapers. Weekly newspapers also add much to the fabric of their respective communities. Newspapers staffing on-the-ground reporters keep a watch on the powerbrokers, politicians, and report on the issues daily impacting communities. Essential work for citizens in the ‘need to know’ and harboring the ‘right to know’ what exactly their governments are doing or not doing.
The newspaper bug bit me as I delivered my hometown’s morning daily newspaper — The Daily Press — from 1971-’74.
I witnessed the old press machines as Editors worked beside staffers who pieced together headlines with wood posts tethered by wire. I had to visit the newsroom because my Manager’s desk set in a corner. And the energy of the newsroom with the old Linotype machines endlessly fascinated me! And with Watergate roiling America during my pedaling the day’s initial news culled from late-night publishing, I saw the first bold black headlines and articles. Watergate’s uber-reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein were my heroes! Still I keep an original framed copy of The New York Daily News with its bold block black cover page screaming NIXON QUITS from August 9, 1974.
Aside from that long ago newspaper experience, America has seen over 12,000 newspapers and magazines fold since 2005. The Digital Age has carved out a niche on the Internet that is undeniable in its ruination of the newspaper industry. Ads are the lifeblood of any newspaper. But with ad revenue down from Amazon’s online shopping, many local stores gone with its ads, as well as various other factors. And hedge fund companies buying up daily newspapers for tax protection purposes — what does John Henry or strangers new to America’s corporate elite know about Journalism or the business side of newspapers? Frankly, the purveyors of putrid hostile takeovers or mergers care less about the pulse of holding government leaders accountable or crime in a community or a School Board meeting.
I applaud the new attempt at bringing a new newspaper back to Newton! I remain hopeful that newspapers are very necessary and still must be part of the pulse of any community large or small. Tally ho!
The Thursday 7 p.m. meeting will also be live streamed on Zoom. Register at NewtonBeacon.org to attend.
As Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Senator from New York many years ago wisely stated: “You are entitled to your own opinions, but not to your own facts.” He was a very liberal, but principled statesman who understood the foundation of democracy through journalism. Idealistic? Maybe. But not naïve if we vigilantly demand the pursuit of truth from the Newton Beacon.
Am I skeptical? Certainly. I have personally pigeon-holed many Beacon Board members into the political boxes where I think they thrive. Will they shun from attempting to influence the reporting of facts? Probably not if the wall between the fundraisers and the editorial staff is not impervious. Could it happen? Yes, if there is a truly non-biased journalist left who will report all views without NIMBY or YIMBY name-calling. It’s not just zoning. It’s being sensitive to every concern of all of Newton’s residents: homeowners, renters, business owners, employees, immigrants, etc., and stressing the need for ALL to participate equally in the processes of government. Not to be paid to do so, but to do so because the schools and Newton families hold participation in our government to be one of our highest values.
If the Newton Beacon doesn’t rise to the challenge of representing the facts even-handedly, I pray that a second journalistic voice will rise to counter them. On the other hand, if The Newton Beacon is up to it, I fervently hope polite, well-developed discussions will take place on their Opinion Pages. I am willing to change my initial opinions when facing the facts that will follow this launch.
Newton needs a hometown paper desperately. We tried to fill in some of the info vacuum when we founded the Newton Civic Action Forum, but FB has become the “digital Roman coliseum” (as Robert Jones, Jr calls it in his excellent blog.)
I just hope there will be an open call for contributing writers including student journalists, and a healthy Op-Ed and Letters to the Editor section? Then it would be a great thing.
PS Did you know Boston had over 180 newspapers in the 1800s!
I think the Civic Action group had been an excellent resource but Al C is singlehandedly ruining it IMO.
Question on Al C. If you ignore his tone, do you think his message is acceptable? Or do you want to suppress his views because he is a conservative? Seems like you and many other use the tone to try to censor his views. Like them or not they are just as valuable and “true” as liberal views. Just because this city is completely dwarfed one way, doesnt mean that way is the best way. Think lemmings. And to be fair I will say the same thing to conservatives in the south. Just because you have a majority, doesnt mean you are right. The truth, reality, and the best outcome is often found somewhere in the middle. I think we all need to remember that and get back to a place where compromise is the way of the land, not one side jamming their majority down the throat of the other side.
Al C is too antagonist to be a decent participant. He puts laughing emojis if someone puts something he disagrees with, this stifling functional conversations. He purposely picks fights. It was a good group and he destroyed it.
https://figcitynews.com/about/
Contributors welcome. Funny that Village14 hasn’t said a word about it.
Matt, first I’ve heard about it. But I don’t think it is ready to be rolled out. Are you sure Amy wants you to link to it yet? Doesn’t exactly seem fair to blame Village14 for not mentioning it when it (a) isn’t on Amy’s newsletter site as being up and running, and (b) isn’t yet actually rolled out.
Happy to read this one too. I read Amy’s site each week and think she does a great community service putting it together. Not sure yet if it compares to the Beacon, but the more news participants the better.
On a side note, are you going to be upset about the “biased” nature of the leadership of this news endevour as well Matt? Amy was, and perhaps will be in the future, a candidate for Mayor…
Fig
ps. I had the Fig name first (on a blog/news site). I claim bragging rights and the option to now call myself the “Original Fig” or “OFN” for short. Royalties can be paid in cookies or dog treats.
Fig City News is reporting that the Newton News Foundation, the non-profit behind the proposed digital news site Newton Beacon, is asking the City of Newton for $1M in ARPA funding. Mayor Fuller should tell this group of wealthy wanna-bee newspaper publishers to take a flying leap!
So inappropriate. So it just might happen
Mike, they are applying for $100,000, not $1,000,000. Big difference.
And a lot of the new digital only news organizations rely on grants and donations. I don’t particularly think it is a great use of ARPA money.
Of course it isnt a good use of funds. Its bullsh!t. Arpa funds should go to schools, infrastructure, or fixing/adding parks.
If she gives arpa funds to a publication likely to endorse her ambitions, that seems a bit shady.
The Newton Beacon website lists six members of its Board of Directors. Three of these directors are STRONGLY pro-development. These three are Alan Schlesinger (long-time attorney for developers), Rhanna Kidwell (Vice-chair of Newton Charter Commission), and Anne Larner (Charter Commission member). In addition, while he is not on the Board, Greg Reibman appears to be playing a strong leadership role in the paper. Mr. Reibman is a founder of Village14, an advocate for development, and (based on his frequent Village 14 postings and other actions) a proponent of overly personal attacks on anyone who disagrees with him.
As a reminder, the Charter Commission proposed a revised Newton Charter that would have eliminated the ward-level City Councilors. The Commission’s proposed Charter appeared as a ballot question that was rejected by Newton voters in the November 2017 election. In my opinion, the Planning Department’s October 2018 proposed comprehensive rezoning code was introduced as an pro-development end-run around the Charter defeat. We are now entering year five of the Mayor and her Planning Department’s relentless push to get this pro-development comprehensive rezoning code passed by the City Council.
Its leadership makes it appear the Newton Beacon is a highly partisan supporter of Mayor Fuller and her comprehensive rezoning code. Because of this, the Newton Beacon should NOT be given any ARPA funds. Mayor Fuller already has developer money funding her political messaging. It would be a misuse of public funds for her to also give taxpayer-funded ARPA money to the Newton Beacon for the same purpose.
In fairness to your critique of Greg, he is simply doing his job which is to lobby for businesses which fund this paycheck. Developers just happen to have good business at this time.
Perhaps he’ll change his tune to prefer office buildings rather than giant rental buildings in Newton given his most recent quote in the Boston Globe:
In Wellesley and the suburbs, the office market is thriving – “If I owned a building, I would be much happier having one in the suburbs than in downtown,” said Greg Reibman, president of the Charles River Regional Chamber, a business group whose members are located in Wellesley and its well-heeled neighbors, including Newton and Needham.
Hi Bugek: I am not criticizing Greg Reibman’s opinions. And while I think his tactics are frequently overly personal, that isn’t my criticism either.
I am criticizing the Newton Beacon for representing itself as nonpartisan, and for using that nonpartisan representation to justify obtaining ARPA money.
The Newton Beacon is partisan, based on its board membership and the leadership role of Greg Reibman. So it should not get ARPA money.
Debra you are 100% correct. It’s shocking that they would even consider trying to pick the publics pocket
Have any of you whiners been provided access to the proposal? If yes, then perhaps you can let the rest of us know what specifically in that document is problematic. If not, then you should have held your tongues. Indeed, whatever proposal is submitted by Newton Beacon should be judged on its merits relative to the allowable uses of ARPA support. It is, in a (much abused) word, “chilling” for there to be such a prejudicial outcry about a legitimate group competing for these funds. What an anti-democratic and in all likelihood incredibly hypocritical conversation.