American Independent News Network - History and Programs

History and Programs

The organization was founded as The Center for Independent Media in April 2006 by David S. Bennahum, a former journalist with Wired. Its inaugural venture was a New Journalist Pilot Program whose aim was "to strengthen the network of progressive blogs on a state-by-state basis," providing short term financial support for qualified applicants, while being trained. The Center expanded that into a permanent New Journalist Training Program, and later provided support for online journalists through its New Journalist Editorial Program, which, in the words of the Center, provides "talented online journalists with direct support to conduct original reporting." Many of the participants in the editorial program are graduates of the training program.

The purpose of the organization expanded to creating and supporting a network of independent online news organizations. As of August 2010 the network consists of six state-based sites and a Washington D.C. site. Colorado Confidential (now The Colorado Independent) was the first to launch, in May of 2006, followed in August by The Minnesota Monitor, now the Minnesota Independent. Iowa Independent and Michigan Messenger debuted in 2007. The Washington Bureau and The Washington Independent were launched in January 2008, followed by The New Mexico Independent in April 2008. In May 2010, The Florida Independent was established.

In January 2010, the Center for Independent Media changed its name to The American Independent News Network to "more accurately reflect the true nature of work as an online news network."

In November, 2010, inadequate funding led to an announced plan to consolidate the AINN site with the Washington Independent one, though in 2011 both sites, plus the seven regional sites, continued operational.

In July, 2011, the Pew Foundation's Project for Excellence in Journalism was reported to have found that, among other non-profit news outlets, "the liberal American Independent News Network ... reveal much about who’s paying their bills, and work skews clearly in one direction, both in the topics and the content of individual stories".

On November 17, 2011, Lynda Waddington of The Iowa Independent wrote that The Michigan Messenger and The Minnesota Independent had been closed down and that The Iowa Independent could soon follow. There have been no new entries to the site since that date. On April 27, 2012 The Florida Independent announced that it was ending at the end of that month.