Welcome to the Minnesota Independent
Monday, June 09, 2008 at 9:16 am
It took us 4,000 posts, 1.6 million visitors, thousands of creative (and sometimes cranky) comments and a handful of journalism awards to get here: We’ve launched a new site with the new name. So, why the change… and why the Minnesota Independent?
Consider it part of our evolution. When we launched as Minnesota Monitor in the summer of 2006, we were a band of bloggers who trained in the ethical reporting of breaking news, and our site reflected that aim.
Our mission remains the same, but our model has become more of a hybrid. As newspapers are forced to reconsider their business model — and, some would argue, their editorial model as well — we’re combining the immediacy and rich-media storytelling the Internet offers with the fact-based approach of traditional journalism.
Our new site gives us more leeway to pursue that kind of reporting and to involve our readers in the process: MNIndy has an enhanced platform for audio and video, social-media tools for getting the word out and commenting that allows readers to have their say on our site as well as all the others in the Center for Independent Media network, all with one username.
The new name serves to emphasize our mission of independent thinking and to emphasize the distinction between what we’re about and the ways of corporate, profit-driven media. It also celebrates our place in the Center for Independent Media network, a six-site family that cooperates on newsgathering. We’re aggregating news from these sites in the sidebar on the left.
And what of the Minnesota Monitor? In homage to where we began, we’ve named MNIndy’s blog The Monitor. Check back throughout the day for the kind of always-changing news fix you’ve come to expect.
24 Comments
Comment posted June 13, 2008 @ 2:45 am
Hmm, I like the new heading. I don’t like the name – sounds like moderate mush. Like people who don’t have the courage to be progressive or liberal. Like people who are going give a version of Republican lite. Half of the bad stuff is still half bad.
Comment posted June 11, 2008 @ 4:42 pm
“We are not beholden to ad dollars or advertiser agendas.”
Right; that’s what zipity said. It’s common knowledge that this is a George Soros enterprise, and although the new paint job George has sprung for is great and all, it’s still a George Soros enterprise.
BTW: This was a missed opportunity to quietly lose that hilarious “Code of Ethics”…save yourself some ongoing humiliation, ya know?
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 12:23 pm
MnIndy! Gotcha.
Noticed in my Account settings, I can not select “America – Minneapolis”. I settled for Chicago (sigh). Maybe not a big deal (only used for time-zone?) Anyway, site looks fab. LOVE the user profile pages and links to user-content.
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 12:20 pm
Ah, “Zippity,” nothing like chastising someone for a typo. You know exactly what I meant. Not to mention the fact that people who live in glass houses…(You might want to check your own comment before mocking my typo.)
Priss-meyer! I love it! Thanks! It’s not quite as good as “Pre-school-Meyer.” But I’ll gladly take it.
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 12:17 pm
Boxcar, it’s MnIndy! Not to be confused with Mindy or “Mork and Mindy.”
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 12:05 pm
Changes look really good– presentation-wise and commenting. Nice work. It will take me a while to embrace the re-branding… (MinnMon = MNIndpt) Have you made t-shirts yet?
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 12:04 pm
“Your name calling encourages to continue.” ?WTF? “Unlike mainstream news outlets, we can’t write a coherent sentence…..” Touche’ Miss Priss-meyer! All Ur kname kalling blongz ta us!
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 11:34 am
Zipity: Clueless as to the meanings of “independent” and “alternative.” We are not beholden to ad dollars or advertiser agendas. Unlike mainstream news outlets, the Center for Independent Media is a non-profit whose only agenda is to encourage citizen journalism and engagement, independent thought, and critical thinking. Your name calling encourages to continue. Thank you.
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 11:13 am
Independent? Does this mean George Soros and his galaxy of front organizations is no longer paying for your sandbox? I doubt that…I think this is an attempt at re-branding to keep the inattentive from noticing the fact that the writers and content here are a bit to the Left of Castro/Lenin/Mao. Wait a minute, “who trained in the ethical reporting of breaking news”. “The fact-based approach of traditional journalism.” “The new name serves to emphasize our mission of independent thinking and to emphasis (sic) the distinction between what we’re about and the ways of corporate, profit-driven media.” My mistake. You’re apparently re-launching as a satirical site, ala The Onion. Keep up the good work, comrades!
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 6:13 am
Independent? Does this mean George Soros and his galaxy of front organizations is no longer paying for your sandbox? I doubt that…I think this is an attempt at re-branding to keep the inattentive from noticing the fact that the writers and content here are a bit to the Left of Castro/Lenin/Mao. Wait a minute, “who trained in the ethical reporting of breaking news”. “The fact-based approach of traditional journalism.” “The new name serves to emphasize our mission of independent thinking and to emphasis (sic) the distinction between what we're about and the ways of corporate, profit-driven media.” My mistake. You're apparently re-launching as a satirical site, ala The Onion. Keep up the good work, comrades!
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 6:34 am
Zipity: Clueless as to the meanings of “independent” and “alternative.” We are not beholden to ad dollars or advertiser agendas. Unlike mainstream news outlets, the Center for Independent Media is a non-profit whose only agenda is to encourage citizen journalism and engagement, independent thought, and critical thinking. Your name calling encourages to continue. Thank you.
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 7:04 am
“Your name calling encourages to continue.” ?WTF? “Unlike mainstream news outlets, we can't write a coherent sentence…..” Touche' Miss Priss-meyer! All Ur kname kalling blongz ta us!
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 7:05 am
Changes look really good– presentation-wise and commenting. Nice work. It will take me a while to embrace the re-branding… (MinnMon = MNIndpt) Have you made t-shirts yet?
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 7:17 am
Boxcar, it's MnIndy! Not to be confused with Mindy or “Mork and Mindy.”
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 7:20 am
Ah, “Zippity,” nothing like chastising someone for a typo. You know exactly what I meant. Not to mention the fact that people who live in glass houses…(You might want to check your own comment before mocking my typo.)
Priss-meyer! I love it! Thanks! It's not quite as good as “Pre-school-Meyer.” But I'll gladly take it.
Comment posted June 9, 2008 @ 7:23 am
MnIndy! Gotcha.
Noticed in my Account settings, I can not select “America – Minneapolis”. I settled for Chicago (sigh). Maybe not a big deal (only used for time-zone?) Anyway, site looks fab. LOVE the user profile pages and links to user-content.
Comment posted June 11, 2008 @ 11:42 am
“We are not beholden to ad dollars or advertiser agendas.”
Right; that's what zipity said. It's common knowledge that this is a George Soros enterprise, and although the new paint job George has sprung for is great and all, it's still a George Soros enterprise.
BTW: This was a missed opportunity to quietly lose that hilarious “Code of Ethics”…save yourself some ongoing humiliation, ya know?
Comment posted June 12, 2008 @ 9:45 pm
Hmm, I like the new heading. I don't like the name – sounds like moderate mush. Like people who don't have the courage to be progressive or liberal. Like people who are going give a version of Republican lite. Half of the bad stuff is still half bad.
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