Ron Meador will be expanding his environment and energy reporting and analysis for MinnPost to at least twice a week, effective today.
Ron, a former editorial writer for the Star Tribune who later worked for two nonprofits in the environment and energy fields, has been writing Earth Journal once a week since September 2011, first on a pro bono basis and then for a modest payment, as a test of audience interest. The audience response has been very good, with Earth Journal ranking high on our weekly list of most-viewed stories.
MinnPost decided to test the proposition that we could finance a beat with a group of generous donors making three-year financial commitments, ranging from $5,000 to $1,000 a year. It has worked. We have raised more than $40,000 a year, and as a result we’re now making Earth Journal a regular feature, at least twice a week. You can see the names of founding donors to date here. We intend to continue fundraising, with the goal of increasing the beat blog’s frequency. You can become a founder or make a one-time contribution here.
Here is Ron’s description of what he hopes to do: “My goal in Earth Journal is to offer reporting, analysis and perspective that goes beyond what’s already present in Minnesota’s mainstream media – to be additive, not duplicative – and to be guided foremost by readers’ interests. Subjects will range from global concerns and regional issues to personal lifestyle choices. You can count on me to offer a transparent personal perspective accompanied by fair-minded treatment of differing viewpoints and plenty of links to further reading.”
As with all our coverage, we hope that you, the reader, will actively engage with Earth Journal.
- Read it (you can find previous stories at www.minnpost.com/earth-journal, and you can learn about new ones by subscribing to our free daily email newsletter http://www.minnpost.com/subscribe
- Forward stories through email or social media
- Join the conversation on the stories in the comment thread. If you’re not already a registered MinnPost commenter, sign up here. Remember: to comment on MinnPost, you must use your real name.
- Send story ideas to Ron at rmeador@minnpost.com
Earth Journal will usually appear Tuesdays and Thursdays, though this week the second piece will run on Wednesday because of Thanksgiving.