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Non-profit

West Virginia Watch

Website:

www.westvirginiawatch.com
Location:

Charleston, WV
Tax ID:

84-2113822
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2021):

Revenue: $21,635,211
Expenses: $13,180,253
Assets: $13,800,464
Type:

Online State-Level Media Outlet
Formation:

2023
Editor-in-Chief:

Leann Ray
Affiliated with:

States Newsroom

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

West Virginia Watch is an online news outlet located in Charleston, West Virginia launched by States Newsroom. It reports on West Virginia state politics and policies focusing on left-of-center issues such as criminal justice, education, health, labor, the environment, and energy. 1

It is funded by States Newsroom which claims to be a “powerful force for social change, uniquely suited to challenging systemic inequality and racism.” 2 Although West Virginia Watch claims to be non-partisan, the commentary articles it publishes are typically left-leaning. 3

Background

West Virginia Watch is an online news outlet located in Charleston, West Virginia focused on West Virgina’s government and policies. It was launched by States Newsroom located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in July 2023 as its 35th state news outlet. 4

As of March 2024, States Newsroom has 39 state-level news outlets focused on state politics and policy and a Washington, D.C. bureau that reports on U.S. Congressional, U.S. Supreme Court, and administrative decisions that impact the states. It was launched to focus on state governments, claiming that there has been a decrease in state level reporting by major news outlets. 5

It has described itself as “a progressive political journalism startup” in the past. 6 A Washington Post article described States Newsroom as a news network with state sites that was backed by the Hopewell Fund, “another liberal dark-money group.” 7 Job postings describe its journalism as a “powerful force for social change, uniquely suited to challenging systemic inequality and racism.” 8

West Virginia Watch will cover left-of-center issue areas including criminal justice, education, health, labor, and the environment. Editor-in-chief Leann Ray claims that the outlet will shine a light on “what those in power try to do without the public’s knowledge.” 9

Political Leanings

Although States Newsroom and the West Virginia Watch are self-described as non-partisan, the commentary articles that are published are typically left-leaning. A March 2024 commentary criticized the West Virginia GOP’s lack of accomplishments. 10 Another March 2024 commentary reflected left-leaning values by supporting child tax care credits, school pay raises, gender-affirming care, and increased unemployment benefits. 11 A February 2024 article supported legislation to allow harm reduction services such as syringe distribution and pipe distribution. 12

Funding

Donations to the West Virginia Watch are made to States Newsroom which funds each of its state level news media outlets. Its 2022 tax return reports total revenues of $23,399,713 and total expenses of $18,734.586. It received contributions and grants of $23,316,863. 13

Donors to States Newsroom include a long list of individual donors and several left-of-center institutions and donor-advised funds including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the American Endowment Foundation; The GroundTruth Project; The Minneapolis Foundation; National Public Radio; the Network for Good; the North Fund; the Pew Charitable Trusts; ProPublica; Report for America; the Z Smith Reynolds Foundation; the Wyss Foundation; and the Hopewell Fund. 14 15

The Wyss Foundation was founded by Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, a philanthropist, political supporter of left-of-center groups and politicians, a member of the Democracy Alliance, and a board member of the Center for American Progress. A 2021 New York Times article accused Wyss of investing in media organizations to “shape media coverage to help Democratic causes.” It stated that the Wyss Foundation donated $1 million to States Newsroom. 16

Team

Leann Ray is the West Virginia Watch editor-in-chief. She has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in journalism from West Virginia University. Before joining West Virginia Watch, Ray worked for the Charleston Gazette-Mail for almost nine years, moving up to an editor position. 17

Lori Kersey is the Watch’s deputy editor. She has a bachelor’s degree from Marshal University and a master’s in communications from Morehead State University. Previously Kersey was a freelance writer and a reporter for the Charleston Gazette-Mail. 18

The Watch employs two additional reporters, Amelia Ferrell Knisely and Caty Coyne. Both joined the Charleston Gazette-Mail in 2019 and 2018 respectively through the Report for America program, 19 a program of The GroundTruth Project that places journalists into local newsrooms in response to the “collapse of local journalism.” 20 The Project is funded by large, left-of-center foundations including the Knight Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Heising-Simons Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. 21

References

  1.  “West Virginia Watch to launch statewide news outlet.” The Register-Herald. July 7, 2023. Accessed March 13, 2024. https://www.register-herald.com/news/state_region/west-virginia-watch-to-launch-statewide-news-outlet/article_68713ac8-1d2a-11ee-a007-67668ac31e68.html
  2. “Finance Manager.” States Newsroom – Staff Openings. Accessed March 12, 2024. https://statesnewsroom.com/staff-openings/finance-manager/
  3. “Commentary.” West Virginia Watch. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://westvirginiawatch.com/commentary/
  4. Sean Manning. “States Newsroom Launches West Virginia Watch.” States Newsroom – Press. July 11, 2023. Accessed March 13, 2024. https://statesnewsroom.com/press-releases/states-newsroom-launches-west-virginia-watch/
  5.  “State policies directly affect people’s daily lives.” States Newsroom – About. Accessed March 12, 2024. https://statesnewsroom.com/about/
  6. “Media Administrative Assistant.” LinkedIn – States Newsroom. Posted in 2020. Accessed March 12, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/media-administrative-assistant-at-states-newsroom-1362718370/
  7. Gabby Deutch. “A website wanted to restore trust in the media. It’s actually a political operation.” The Washington Post. February 6, 2020. Accessed March 12, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/06/is-it-local-journalism-or-just-local-propaganda/
  8. “Finance Manager.” States Newsroom – Staff Openings. Accessed March 12, 2024. https://statesnewsroom.com/staff-openings/finance-manager/
  9. West Virginia Watch to launch statewide news outlet.” The Register-Herald. July 7, 2023. Accessed March 13, 2024. https://www.register-herald.com/news/state_region/west-virginia-watch-to-launch-statewide-news-outlet/article_68713ac8-1d2a-11ee-a007-67668ac31e68.html.
  10. Leann Ray. “West Virginia’s GOP supermajority somehow couldn’t get much accomplished during session.” West Virginia Watch – Commentary. March 12, 2024. Accessed March 13, 2024. https://westvirginiawatch.com/2024/03/12/west-virginias-gop-supermajority-somehow-couldnt-get-much-accomplished-during-session/
  11. Leann Ray. “West Virginia Legislature has no empathy for the vulnerable.” West Virginia Watch – Commentary. March 5, 2024. Accessed March 13, 2024. https://westvirginiawatch.com/2024/03/05/west-virginia-legislature-has-no-empathy-for-the-vulnerable/
  12. Tasha Withrow. “Harm reduction under attack in West Virginia.” West Virginia Watch – Commentary. February 29, 2024. Accessed March 13, 2024. https://westvirginiawatch.com/2024/02/29/harm-reduction-under-attack-in-west-virginia/
  13. States Newsroom. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part I.) 2022.
  14. “Supporters.” States Newsroom. https://statesnewsroom.com/support/. Link from Washington State Standard – Funders. Accessed March 12, 2024.  https://washingtonstatestandard.com/about/
  15. “States Newsroom.” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer search. Accessed March 12, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?form%5B%5D=IRS990ScheduleI&q=states+newsroom&sort=best&submit=Apply&year%5B%5D=2022
  16. Kenneth P. Vogel and Katie Robertson. The New York Times. “Top Bidder for Tribune Newspapers Is an Influential Liberal Donor.” April 13, 2021. Updated April 17, 2021. Accessed March 12, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/business/media/wyss-tribune-company-buyer.html
  17. LinkedIn – Leann Ray. Accessed March 13, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannray/
  18. LinkedIn – Lori Kersey. Accessed March 13, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-kersey/
  19. Sean Manning. “States Newsroom Launches West Virginia Watch.” States Newsroom – Press. July 11, 2023. Accessed March 13, 2024. https://statesnewsroom.com/press-releases/states-newsroom-launches-west-virginia-watch/
  20. “About Us.” Report for America. Accessed March 13, 2024. https://www.reportforamerica.org/about-us/
  21. “Supporters.” Report for America. Accessed March 14, 2024. https://www.reportforamerica.org/supporters/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: July 1, 2019

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2021 Dec Form 990 $21,635,211 $13,180,253 $13,800,464 $143,528 N $21,592,795 $0 $0 $190,050
    2020 Dec Form 990 $9,976,227 $9,679,997 $5,387,023 $185,045 N $9,951,168 $0 $0 $287,540
    2019 Dec Form 990 $6,982,113 $2,076,364 $5,371,684 $465,936 N $6,982,113 $0 $0 $30,983 PDF

    West Virginia Watch

    1414 RALEIGH RD STE 127
    Charleston, WV 27517-8834