The Center for Michigan is a public policy nonprofit that operates two news sites: Bridge Michigan, which covers the state, and BridgeDetroit, which focuses on Detroit. Media Bias/Fact Check has rated Bridge Michigan as having a “left-center bias,” which includes taking editorial positions that favor left-of-center perspectives. 1 1
The left-of-center advocacy group Progress Michigan stated in 2013 that “conservative groups” claim Bridge Magazine is considered “liberal.” 2 Progress Michigan has also attacked Bridge Michigan for being biased in favor of corporate interests, something the Center for Michigan has denied. 3 4
The Center for Michigan hired Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Henderson to lead BridgeDetroit. 5 Henderson was fired in 2017 by the Detroit Free Press after staff made sexual harassment claims against him. 6 Henderson has taken radical-left positions in the past, writing in 2016 that the public should “sew [politicians who accepted political donations to protect charter schools] into burlap sacks with rabid animals, and toss them into the Straits of Mackinac” in a hyperbolic protest of state education legislation opposed by teachers unions. 7
History
The Center for Michigan is a charitable nonprofit organization founded in 2006. The Center launched the online news site Bridge Magazine in 2011, followed by the online news site BridgeDetroit in 2020. 8
The Center for Michigan reported that it had 18 employees, $2 million in total revenues, and $2.7 million in total expenditures in 2019. 9
Bridge Michigan
The Center for Michigan changed the name of its online publication from Bridge Magazine to Bridge Michigan in September 2020. 10
The Michigan Press Association named Bridge Magazine its largest-size weekly publication Newspaper of the Year four years in a row for the years 2015 through 2018. 11 In 2021, Bridge Michigan reporter Mike Wilkinson was named the Michigan Press Association Journalist of the Year. 12
Journalism Controversies
Bridge Michigan has been embroiled in several controversies over inaccurate and unethical reporting. Bridge Magazine retracted a 2017 story it published on a high school student from Detroit who overcame poverty to win a full-ride scholarship to Harvard University. The student later admitted that she had made the story up. 13
Partisan Coverage
In 2013, Bridge Magazine issued an apology to former Michigan State Representative Jase Bolger (R-Calhoun), then-Speaker of the State House. 14 Center for Michigan founder Phil Power asked Rep. Bolger to write a column about the perception that politicians don’t take on tough issues and ran the column on the same day as an opposing view point by then-Michigan House Minority Leader Tim Greimel (D-Auburn Hills). Rep. Greimel’s op-ed attacked the state Republican Party and ran with a headline that read, “Republicans hold wheel, are driving Michigan into the ditch.” 15 Bridge Magazine never told Rep. Bolger that his column would face an opposing viewpoint. 14
Rep. Bolger complained about how his column was handled, claiming that Bridge turned his article addressed towards the public into “a ‘there they go again, partisan bickering again and nothing has changed’ fight.” Rep. Bolger also claimed to feel “completely used” and argued that the article was published to “drive ‘clicks’ because a fight ‘sells’ better than a discussion of ideas.” 2
Fact-Checking Controversy
In 2012, the left-of-center Progress Michigan published an op-ed criticizing Bridge Magazine’s fact-checking, claiming the Center for Michigan was supported by “a long list of deep pockets” including firms such as Amway, Consumers Energy, DTE, AT&T, and Meijer. 3 Progress Michigan accused the Center of being beholden to “big corporations,” threatening the Center’s independence as a news outlet. 3
John Bebow, president and CEO of the Center for Michigan and Bridge Michigan, responded with an op-ed admitting that the organization was supported by Michigan companies. 4 Nonetheless, Bebow denied any wrongdoing, noting that the same companies “regularly advertise in daily newspapers and television and radio outlets.” 4
Coverage of Transgender Athletes Bill
In March 2021, Michigan State Senator Lana Theis (R-Livingston) introduced legislation to only allow students of the same biological sex to compete against one another “in school-sanctioned gender specific athletics.” Sen. Theis stated in a press release that the bill was aimed to ensure that girls and women would not be put at a disadvantage by being forced to compete against boys or men. 16
Days later, Bridge Michigan published an article with the headline, “Michigan GOP: No transgender athletes in girls’ sports. Critics: Shame on you.” 17 The article claimed that the proposal would not pass or would be vetoed by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D), while also amplifying critics who claimed that the bill was a “‘baseless attack’ by GOP lawmakers to ‘score political points’ with conservatives.” 17
Partnerships
Bridge Magazine and the Michigan news chain MLive formed a partnership in 2012. 18 Bridge Magazine started a new partnership with Crain’s Detroit Business in 2015 by sharing a reporter, and in 2016, Crain’s Detroit Business bought the rights to republish Bridge Magazine content. 19 Newspapers that are members of the Michigan Press Association can purchase Bridge Michigan content for $1,500 a year. 20
BridgeDetroit
BridgeDetroit covers issues related to Detroit, Michigan. The Center for Michigan launched BridgeDetroit in 2020 with seven staff members and funding from a numer of left-of-center organizations. 21
First Draft News was an early donor to BridgeDetroit. 22 First Draft News is funded by the left-of-center Media Democracy Fund, Democracy Fund, Craig Newmark Philanthropies and the Google News Initiative. The Ford Foundation, which funds many left-of-center organizations, also funds BridgeDetroit, alongside the Kresge Foundation and the left-leaning John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. 23 23
Stephen Henderson Controversies
In 2020, Stephen Henderson was hired as the project editor and executive editor of BridgeDetroit. 5 Henderson won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for a series of columns he wrote on the financial crisis facing the city of Detroit. 24 Henderson was named the Journalist of the Year in 2014 by the National Association of Black Journalists. 25 Henderson has faced several controversies before coming to BridgeDetroit.
Sexual Harassment
Henderson was the Detroit Free Press managing director of opinion and commentary in 2017 when he was fired after the newspaper launched an investigation into clams of sexual harassment against him. 6 The Detroit Free Press said its investigation uncovered several instances of inappropriate behavior by Henderson with female co-workers that went back several years. Garnett Co., the organization which owns the Detroit Free Press, released a statement claiming that the investigation had found “credible allegations.” 26
Henderson said he cooperated with the newspaper during the investigation and apologized to the women that he was accused of harassing, though he said he disagreed with the newspaper’s decision to fire him. 26 After Henderson said he was considering legal options to sue the paper over his firing, the newspaper and Henderson agreed on a settlement. 27
Rhetorical Support for Violence Against Elected Officials
Henderson wrote an op-ed in June of 2016 while still with the Detroit Free Press in which he advocated for violence against politicians who accepted political donations and protected charter schools. 7 Discussing legislation passed by Republicans in the House of Representatives, Henderson wrote that people in Michigan “ought to round up the lawmakers who took money to protect and perpetuate the failing charter-school experiment in Detroit, sew them into burlap sacks with rabid animals, and toss them into the Straits of Mackinac.” 7
Then-Michigan House Speaker Kevin Cotter (R-Coleman) responded to the opinion piece, criticizing Henderson for supporting the idea that politicians should be “tortured and killed” for not supporting left-of-center beliefs and demanding an apology. 28 Following the backlash, Henderson said that his statement was not to be taken literally, but did not apologize for it. 29
Coverage of the 1619 Project Bill
In May 2021, Sen. Theis introduced a bill to ban public schools in Michigan from teaching left-of-center critical race theory, including the controversial 1619 Project. 30 In the wake of the bill, BridgeDetroit republished a story written by the nonprofit Chalkbeat Detroit with a headline that read, “Republican bill aims to cut funding to Michigan schools that teach about racial oppression.” 31
The article described the 1619 Project as “a New York Times initiative that puts Black history and the consequences of slavery at the center of the U.S. national narrative.” 31 The article also failed to acknowledge the controversies surrounding the 1619 Project, including a letter to the New York Times written by five prominent historians criticizing its accuracy. 32 In one criticism, the historians objected that the 1619 Project stated the American Revolution was fought “in order to ensure slavery would continue.” The historians stated that every statement used to support that claim “is false.” 32
The article claimed that the bill “hammers another wedge into a national schism over race in America” and connected it to 2020 riots over the police shootings of African Americans. 31
Leadership
The Center for Michigan has an 11-member board of directors that includes a chairman, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. 33
Phil Power is the founder and chairman of the board of the Center for Michigan. Power is a Democrat who previously owned the Livingston County Daily Press and Argus, which he sold along with 62 other local newspapers to the Gannet Corporation in 2005. 34 35 Power also sat as a regent at the University of Michigan from 1987 to 1998. 36
John Bebow is president and CEO of the Center for Michigan and Bridge Michigan and also sits on the board. Bebow was a newspaper reporter who worked for the Detroit Free Press and Chicago Tribune before coming to the Center for Michigan. 37
Kathy Power, Phil Power’s wife, is the vice president of the board of the Center for Michigan. Power has sat on multiple Planned Parenthood boards. 38
The board of directors includes former Michigan State Representative Paul Hillegonds (R-Holland), who also sits on the board of the left-of-center Kresge Foundation. 39
Steering Committee
In addition to the board of directors, the Center for Michigan has an 18-member steering committee. 40
Paul Dimond sits on the steering committee. Dimond is an attorney who also served as the Special Assistant to the President of the United States for Economic Policy from 1993 to 1997 under former President Bill Clinton. 41
Steven Hamp is also on the steering committee. From 2002 to 2020, Hamp sat on the board of the left-of-center Kresge Foundation. 42 Hamp is married to Sheila Ford Hamp, who is the daughter of Martha Firestone Ford and a descendent of the Firestone and Ford auto families as well as the principal owner and chairman of the National Football League’s Detroit Lions. 44 45 46 The Center has also received grants from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation ($350,000), the Kresge Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation ($76,215), the Hudson-Webber Foundation ($50,000), Arnold Ventures, and Joyce Foundation ($150,000). 47 48 49 50
In 2018, the Jandernoa Foundation gave $10,000 to the Center. Former Republican donor Mike Jandernoa runs the Foundation. 51 40 The Alticor/Amway Corporation is also listed as a donor of more than $5,000. 52 Steve Van Andel and Doug DeVos are co-chairs of Amway’s board of directors, and the DeVos family frequently contributes to the Republican Party. 53
References
- Media Bias/Fact Check. “Bridge Michigan”; Accessed 6/3/2021. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/bridge-magazine/
- Progress Michigan. July 22, 2013. “Jase Bolger And The Failure Of Bridge Magazine”; Accessed 6/6/2021. https://progressmichigan.org/2013/07/jase-bolger-and-the-failure-of-bridge-magazine/
- Progress Michigan. Jessica Tramontana. Sept. 28, 2012. “Foul On The Truth Squad”; https://progressmichigan.org/2012/09/foul-on-the-truth-squad/
- Bridge Magazine. John Bebow. Sept. 28, 2012. “Truth Squad Defends Its Fact-Driven Reporting Against Political Attack”; Accessed 6/11/2021. https://www.bridgemi.com/talent-education/truth-squad-defends-its-fact-driven-reporting-against-political-attack
- BridgeDetroit website. Accessed 6/8/2021. https://www.bridgedetroit.com/about/our-team/
- Detroit Free Press. Dec. 15, 2017. “Free Press’ Stephen Henderson Terminated For Misconduct”; Accessed 6/8/2021. https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2017/12/15/detroit-free-press-stephen-henderson-terminated-misconduct/956319001/
- Detroit Free Press. Stephen Henderson. June 3, 2016. “Michigan House’s Detroit Schools Bills Are Pure Garbage, Not About Kids”; Accessed 6/8/2021. https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/columnists/stephen-henderson/2016/06/03/dps-reform-legislation/85348006/
- Center for Michigan website. Accessed 6/11/2021. https://thecenterformichigan.net/about/
- Center for Michigan, Form 990, 2019, Part I Summary. Accessed 6/11/2021. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/32-0167398
- Bridge Michigan. Amber DeLind, Kathryn Dugal. Sept. 15, 2020. “Bridge Magazine Becomes Bridge Michigan To Reflect Mission, Ambitions”; Accessed 6/6/2021. https://www.bridgemi.com/center-michigan/bridge-magazine-becomes-bridge-michigan-reflect-mission-ambitions
- Bridge Michigan. March 12, 2020. “Bridge Wins 13 Awards In Michigan Press Association Contest”; https://www.bridgemi.com/center-michigan/bridge-wins-13-awards-michigan-press-association-contest
- Bridge Michigan. March 25, 2021. “Bridge Michigan’s Mike Wilkinson Named Michigan Journalist Of The Year”; Accessed 6/10/2021. https://www.bridgemi.com/center-michigan/bridge-michigans-mike-wilkinson-named-michigan-journalist-year
- Bridge Magazine, June 30, 2017. “Retraction: A Bridge Story On A Student Accepted At Harvard Turns Out To Be A Hoax”; Accessed 6/3/2021. https://www.bridgemi.com/talent-education/retraction-bridge-story-student-accepted-harvard-turns-out-be-hoax
- Bridge Magazine. July 21, 2013. “Bridge Magazine Apologizes To Speaker Jase Bolger”; Accessed 6/6/2021. https://www.bridgemi.com/guest-commentary/bridge-magazine-apologizes-speaker-jase-bolger
- Bridge Magazine. Tim Greimel. July 10, 2013. “Republicans Hold The Wheel, Are Driving Michigan Into The Ditch”; Accessed 6/6/2021. https://www.bridgemi.com/guest-commentary/republicans-hold-wheel-are-driving-michigan-ditch
- Michigan GOP Senate website. March 10, 2021. “Theis Introduces Bill To Protect Female Sports”; Accessed 6/10/2021. https://www.misenategop.com/theis-introduces-bill-to-protect-female-sports/
- Bridge Michigan. Jonathan Oosting. March 11, 2021. “Michigan GOP: No Transgender Athletes In Girls’ Sports. Critics: Shame On You.”; Accessed 6/10/2021. https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/michigan-gop-no-transgender-athletes-girls-sports-critics-shame-you
- Bridge Magazine, Feb. 28, 2012. “Bridge, MLive Team Up To Spread Bridge Stories”; Accessed 6/3/2021. https://www.bridgemi.com/success/bridge-mlive-team-spread-bridge-stories
- Crain’s Detroit Business. Dec. 19, 2016. ‘Crain’s Buys Rights To Republish Bridge Content”; Accessed 6/6/2021. https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20161219/NEWS/161219835/crains-buys-rights-to-republish-bridge-content
- Michigan Press Association. “Bridge Magazine Syndication”; Accessed 6/6/2021. https://michiganpress.org/bridge-magazine-syndication/
- BridgeDetroit website. Accessed 6/11/2021. https://www.bridgedetroit.com/about/our-team/
- First Draft News website. Accessed 6/11/2021. https://firstdraftnews.org/about/
- BridgeDetroit website. Accessed 6/11/2021. Who Funds Us – Bridge Detroit
- Pulitzer Prize website. Accessed 6/11/2021. https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/stephen-henderson
- National Association of Black Journalists website. “Stephen Henderson Named NABJ 2014 Journalist Of The Year”; Accessed 6/11/2021. https://www.nabj.org/news/171197/-Stephen-Henderson-Named-NABJ-2014-Journalist-of-the-Year.htm
- Detroit Free Press. Dec. 18, 2007. “Stephen Henderson Addresses Free Press Firing On WDET: ‘I Want To Apologize’”; Accessed 6/7/2021. https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2017/12/18/stephen-henderson-fired-wdet-free-press/960580001/
- Deadline Detroit. Alan Stamm. Sept. 9, 2018. “Gannett Blinks: Henderson Gains Payout To Avert Potential Suit Over Freep Firing”; Accessed 6/8/2021. https://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/20583/gannett_blinks_henderson_gains_payout_to_avert_potential_suit_over_freep_firing
- Washington Examiner. Jason Russell. June 9, 2016. “Legislator Responds To Liberal Editorial Writer’s Call For His Execution”; Accessed 6/11/2021. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/legislator-responds-to-liberal-editorial-writers-call-for-his-execution
- Washington Examiner. Jason Russell. June 9, 2016. “Legislator Responds To Liberal Editorial Writer’s Call For His Execution”; Accessed 6/8/2021. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/legislator-responds-to-liberal-editorial-writers-call-for-his-execution
- Michigan GOP Senate website. May 20, 2021. “Theis Bill Would Keep Critical Race Theory Out Of Michigan Classrooms”; Accessed 6/10/2021. https://www.misenategop.com/theis-bill-would-keep-critical-race-theory-out-of-michigan-classrooms/
- Chalkbeat Detroit. Koby Levin. May 25, 2021. “Republican Bill Aims To Cut Funding To Michigan Schools That Teach About Racial Oppression”; Accessed 6/10/2021. https://www.bridgedetroit.com/republican-bill-aims-to-cut-funding-to-michigan-schools-that-teach-about-racial-oppression/
- New York Times. Dec. 20, 2019. “We Respond To The Historians Who Critiqued The 1619 Project”; Accessed 6/10/2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/20/magazine/we-respond-to-the-historians-who-critiqued-the-1619-project.html
- Center for Michigan website. Accessed 6/7/2021. https://www.bridgemi.com/center-michigan
- Livingston County Daily Press and Argus. Maria Stuart. May 6, 1998. “Informational Pickets Hit Democrats’ Events”
- Christopher Nagy. Livingston County Daily Press And Argus. April 3, 2005. “Chairman Moves Onward, Upward”; Accessed 6/6/2021.
- University of Michigan press release. March 30, 2006. “Newspaper Publisher/Civic Leader Philip Power Aids U-M Publications.” Accessed 6/6/2021. https://news.umich.edu/newspaper-publisher-civic-leader-philip-power-aids-u-m-publications/
- Bridge Michigan. John Bebow profile. Accessed 6/6/2021. https://www.bridgemi.com/about/john-bebow
- Meredith Bruckner. WDIV. April 26, 2018. “University Of Michigan Launches Policy Engagement Program With Power Foundation Gift”; Accessed 6/7/2021. https://www.clickondetroit.com/all-about-ann-arbor/2018/04/26/university-of-michigan-launches-policy-engagement-program-with-power-foundation-gift/
- Kresge Foundation website. Board of Directors. Accessed 6/7/2021. https://kresge.org/about-us/board-of-trustees/
- Center for Michigan website. Accessed 6/10/2021. https://thecenterformichigan.net/about/
- Miller Canfield website. Accessed 6/10/2021. https://www.millercanfield.com/PaulDimond#honors-leadership
- The Kresge Foundation. Rip Rapson. “Kresge President Rip Rapson Extends Gratitude To Phil Clay And Steve Hamp As They Retire From Board”. Accessed 6/10/21. https://kresge.org/news-views/kresge-bids-farewell-to-two-long-term-steadfast-trustees/
- Detroit Free Press. Evan Petzold. June 23, 2020. “Who Is Sheila Ford Hamp? Meet The Detroit Lions’ New Owner, Tennis Champion And Yale Grad”; Accessed 6/11/2021. https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2020/06/23/detroit-lions-new-owner-sheila-ford-hamp-groundbreaking-yale-grad/3241686001/
Funding
The Center for Michigan lists organizations which have donated more than $5,000 on its website. The Center has received a number of grants from prominent left-of-center organizations. The left-leaning W.K. Kellogg Foundation donated $400,000 in 2015, 2016, and 2017. 43W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Form 990, 2015. Part XV. Grants and Contributions. Accessed 6/10/2021. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/38-1359264
- W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Form 990, 2016. Part XV. Grants and Contributions. Accessed 6/10/2021. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/38-1359264
- W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Form 990, 2017. Part XV. Grants and Contributions. Accessed 6/10/2021. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/38-1359264
- Mott Foundation. Form 990, 2018. Part XV. Grants and Contributions. Accessed 6/11/2021. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/38-1211227
- John S. And James L. Knight Foundation. Form 990, 2017. Part XV. Grants and Contributions. Accessed 6/11/2021. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/65-0464177
- Hudson Webber Foundation. Form 990, Part XV. Grants and Contributions. Accessed 6/11/2021. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/38-6052131
- Joyce Foundation. Form 990, Part XV. Grants and Contributions. Accessed 6/11/2021. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/36-6079185
- Grand Rapids Press. June 7, 2009. “Polpourri: Republican Donor Mike Jandernoa Says Peter Hoekstra’s The Man For Governor”; Accessed 6/10/2021. https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2009/06/republican_donor_mike_janderno.html
- Center for Michigan website. Accessed 6/11/2021. https://www.bridgemi.com/about/funders
- Forbes Magazine. Dan Alexander. Jan 17, 2017. “Betsy DeVos Says It’s ‘Possible’ Her Family Has Donated $200M To Republicans”; Accessed 6/9/2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2017/01/17/devos-says-its-possible-her-family-has-donated-200m-to-republicans/?sh=6bf36c11ac91