Missouri Independent is a left-of-center nonprofit news group focused on state government and local issues. It supports left-leaning issues such as gun control, lenient criminal justice policies, and environmentalist regulations. ¹

Missouri Independent is financed by States Newsroom (formerly the Newsroom Network), one of the largest nonprofit state-media groups in the United States. Before November 2019, States Newsroom was a fiscally sponsored project of the Hopewell Fund, one of the six major funds managed by Arabella Advisors.²

Missouri Independent applies diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) criteria when selecting stories to pursue, choosing sources, and crafting language. It also implements DEI principles in its hiring process and staff training. ³

Background

The Missouri Independent was founded by States Newsroom President Chris Fitzsimon in October 2020, in Jefferson City, Missouri. ⁴ It is the 19^th of 39 newsrooms founded and fiscally sponsored by States Newsroom, which also partners with 11 media groups to cover all 50 states. ⁵

Its articles focus on five topics: cannabis, criminal justice, health care, education, and the environment. Its commentary section is heavily biased and uses loaded language to diminish the Republican-led state legislature. For example, one op-ed claims that Missouri’s Republican attorney general endorses violence: “Missouri AG Andrew Bailey’s new lawsuit is an endorsement of anti-abortion violence.” ⁶

Missouri Independent’s staff include seven staff members in Jefferson City and a bureau in Washington D.C., jointly reporting on state and federal issues affecting Missouri. The group is led by editor-in-chief Jason Hancock, a former reporter for the Kansas City Star. ⁷

Finances

Missouri Independent receives direct funding from States Newsroom, a nonprofit media conglomerate and former project of the Hopewell Fund. The Hopewell Fund sponsors major left-wing advocacy groups such as Equity Forward (Equity Fwd), a pro-abortion organization. ⁸

States Newsroom lists the names of donors contributing over $1,000, which includes large donor-advised funds (DAF) such as the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, the Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund, the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program, the Schwab Charitable Fund, the American Endowment Foundation (AEF), and the J.P. Morgan Charitable Giving Fund. ⁹

Most of its donors are left-leaning individuals or groups, including the Google News Initiative Journalism Emergency Relief Fund, which was created to “support the ecosystem fighting COVID-19 misinformation” and promote diversity through “team culture, recruiting, and reporting.” ¹⁰ Other left-leaning donors include the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), The Minneapolis Foundation, the GroundTruth Project, the Network for Good, and the Wyss Foundation. ¹¹

In 2019, States Newsroom received $1 million from the Wyss Foundation. ¹² Between 2016 and 2017, the Wyss Foundation donated over $10 million to the Sixteen Thirty Fund, one of the six major funds managed by Arabella Advisors. ¹³

Editorial Positioning

The Missouri Independent has a “Left Bias” according to the watchdog organization Media Bias/Fact Check. The bias is reflected in its use of strongly loaded words, misleading reports, support for liberal causes, convenient omissions, and selective journalism. ¹⁴

Its articles promote left-leaning perspectives in Missouri and Washington D.C., while negatively describing Republican politicians and their legislation. It frequently writes about left-leaning issues such as climate change, criminal justice reform, and gun control. ¹⁵

Notable article titles indicating left-of-center editorial alignments include “Climate grief and the stark choice that confronts us;” ¹⁶ “Capitol Perspectives: Does power corrupt in the Missouri House?”; ¹⁷ and “Politicians attempt to make us believe that God wants you to have guns.” ¹⁸

DEI

The Missouri Independent implements Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hiring practices and uses such criteria when selecting stories to pursue, choosing sources to consult, and crafting language. According to States Newsroom, the reporting and sourcing are pursued with “an eye to diversity and inclusion.” ¹⁹

1.  “DEI Policy • Missouri Independent.” Missouri Independent, March 13, 2023. https://missouriindependent.com/deij-policy/.
2. “Pew’s Stateline Finds a New Home with Nonprofit States Newsroom.” Nieman Lab. https://www.niemanlab.org/2023/03/pews-stateline-finds-a-new-home-with-nonprofit-states-newsroom/.
3.  “DEI Policy • Missouri Independent.” Missouri Independent, March 13, 2023. https://missouriindependent.com/deij-policy/.
4. “States Newsroom Launches the Missouri Independent.” States Newsroom, March 18, 2022. https://statesnewsroom.com/press-releases/states-newsroom-launches-the-missouri-independent/
5. “Newsrooms.” States Newsroom. https://statesnewsroom.com/newsrooms/.
6. “Commentary • Missouri Independent.” Missouri Independent, July 26, 2021. https://missouriindependent.com/commentary/.
7. “About • Missouri Independent.” Missouri Independent, February 29, 2024. https://missouriindependent.com/about/.
8. “Pew’s Stateline Finds a New Home with Nonprofit States Newsroom.” Nieman Lab. https://www.niemanlab.org/2023/03/pews-stateline-finds-a-new-home-with-nonprofit-states-newsroom/.
9. “Supporters.” States Newsroom, May 16, 2023. https://statesnewsroom.com/support/.
10. “Impact Report.” Google News Initiative. https://newsinitiative.withgoogle.com/de-de/impact/#partnerships.
11. “Supporters.” States Newsroom, May 16, 2023. https://statesnewsroom.com/support/.
12. “OpenSecrets.” https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6827837-States-Newsroom-1023-Application-Materials.html.
13. Vogel, Kenneth P., and Katie Robertson. “Top Bidder for Tribune Newspapers Is an Influential Liberal Donor.” The New York Times, April 13, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/business/media/wyss-tribune-company-buyer.html.
14. Check, Media Bias Fact. “Missouri Independent – Bias and Credibility.” Media Bias/Fact Check, June 27, 2023. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/missouri-independent-bias/.
15. Check, Media Bias Fact. “Missouri Independent – Bias and Credibility.” Media Bias/Fact Check, June 27, 2023. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/missouri-independent-bias/.
16. Schofield, Rob. “Climate Grief and the Stark Choice That Confronts US • Missouri Independent.” Missouri Independent, December 5, 2023. https://missouriindependent.com/2023/12/05/climate-grief-and-the-stark-choice-that-confronts-us/.
17. Brooks, Phill. “Capitol Perspectives: Does Power Corrupt in the Missouri House? • Missouri Independent.” Missouri Independent, November 22, 2023. https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/22/capitol-perspectives-does-power-corrupt-in-the-missouri-house/.
18. Ehrlick, Darrell. “Politicians Attempt to Make Us Believe That God Wants You to Have Guns • Missouri Independent.” Missouri Independent, July 27, 2023. https://missouriindependent.com/2023/07/27/politicians-attempt-to-make-us-believe-that-god-wants-you-to-have-guns/.
19. “DEI” States Newsroom, August 1, 2023. https://statesnewsroom.com/deij/.