Houston Local Information Initiative (Houston Landing)

Houston Landing was launched in 2022 with seed funding and from the left-of-center Houston Endowment, Kinder Foundation, Arnold Ventures, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the American Journalism Project (AJP). ^{3 4}

History and Leadership

The Houston Local Information Initiative, the official name of Houston, Texas-based digital news platform Houston Landing, ² was founded in 2022. The organization derives its name from the numerous space “landings” that have taken place in Houston, most recently at the Johnson Space Center since 1969. ⁵ In August 2022, the organization received tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. ⁶ In 2023, Houston Landing launched its online media platform. ⁷

Peter Bhatia is Houston Landing’s chief executive officer. Previously, he was the editor and vice president of the Detroit Free Press and the vice president of the Cincinnati Inquirer. ⁸

Mizanur Rahman was the founding editor-in-chief of Houston Landing from 2022 until January 2024. ⁹  Previously, he was an editor for the Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, and other publications. ¹⁰ In January 2024, he was dismissed as the organization sought to pursue a “digital first” policy positioning. ¹¹ Houston Landing workers voted to join the NewsGuild-CWA labor union in February 2024. ^{12 13}

Houston Landing’s board of directors includes representatives from left-of-center Arnold Ventures, Central Houston, Houston Endowment, Kinder Foundation, Houston Asian American Archive, and Lopez Negrete Communications. ¹⁴

Activity

Houston Landing has published articles claiming that Texas laws opposing critical race theory-influenced diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies are “wreaking havoc” in the state. ¹⁵ It also has published articles documenting Rice University’s efforts to defy a Texas law banning DEI programs ¹⁶ and other articles calling Texas SB4, which makes it a state crime to enter Texas illegally, “controversial.” ¹⁷

Other online-only left-of-center publications such as The Texas Tribune, Reform Austin, and the Victoria Advocate have republished articles published by Houston Landing. ¹⁸

Funding

The Houston Local Information Initiative claims to have editorial independence despite being funded by several prominent left-of-center organizations such as the Houston Endowment, Kinder Foundation, Arnold Ventures, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the American Journalism Project (AJP). ^{5 4 19} Initial pledges of $20 million were made at its launch after a two-year research effort led by AJP. ^{5 4}

The Houston Local Information Initiative receives funding from individual contributions and grants. ²⁰ In its first year of operation in 2022, Houston Local Information Initiative reported revenue of $6,797,200 and expenses of $6,439,735. ²⁰

In 2022, the organization received $2,500,000 from the left-of-center Houston Endowment and $1,720,680 from the American Journalism Project. ²⁰ Since its founding, the Houston Local Information Initiative has received more than $5,000,000 in funding from the Houston Endowment and Kinder Foundation. The Initiative has also received between $1,000,000 and $4,999,999 from the American Journalism Project and Arnold Ventures and between $100,000 and $499,999 from the John S. and James K. Knight Foundation since its launch. ²¹

Houston Local Information Initiative has also received smaller grants from the M.D. Anderson Foundation, the James and Molly Crownover Family Foundation, the J.P. Morgan Charitable Giving Fund, the Houston Jewish Community Foundation, the Honey Brown Hope Foundation, the Hobby Foundation, and several individuals. ²¹