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New Jersey Monitor

Website:

newjerseymonitor.com/
Type:

Local Media Organization
Parent Organization:

States Newsroom
Formation:

2021
Editor-in-Chief:

Terence T. McDonald

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New Jersey Monitor is a left-of-center media organization that covers news in the state of New Jersey. It was launched by States Newsroom, a nonprofit journalism coalition based in Washington, D.C., that creates left-leaning state-focused media organizations throughout the United States.

As of March 2024, New Jersey Monitor has sections on its website dedicated to criminal justice, schools, courts, government plus legislature, housing, social justice, and election 2024.

New Jersey Monitor acknowledges that it is a subsidiary organization of States Newsroom, which in turn is funded by private donors. States Newsroom’s donors include the labor union American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), a Google subsidiary, and the foundation of left-of-center Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss.

Background

In July 2021, States Newsroom announced it was launching New Jersey Monitor, making it the organization’s 23rd subsidiary group. At the time of the announcement, States Newsroom said it would be led by “veteran New Jersey journalist” Terence T. McDonald. It said the outlet would be covering state government and politics, housing, civil and social justice, schools, and other issues affecting people in New Jersey. 1

Activities

New Jersey Monitor purports to be an independent, nonpartisan watchdog group for New Jersey residents. It boasts that its content is free and encourages other outlets to republish its articles with proper attribution. 2

As of March 2024, Monitor has sections on its website dedicated to criminal justice, schools, courts, government plus legislature, housing, social justice, and the 2024 elections. 3

Its reporting tends to focus on left-wing narratives and points of view, producing headlines like “Use of force incidents high among cops who attended controversial police training conference,” “Immigrant, business advocates frustrated by Biden’s humanitarian parole for new arrivals,” and “Women in New Jersey’s cannabis industry opening the doors for others to succeed.” 4 5 6

Funding

New Jersey Monitor acknowledges that it is a subsidiary organization of States Newsroom, which in turn is funded by private donors and grants from private foundations. It claims it has full editorial independence. 7

Until 2019, States Newsroom was a fiscally sponsored project of the Hopewell Fund, a left-of-center grantmaking organization administered by powerful left-wing nonprofit consulting firm Arabella Advisors. 8

While States Newsroom claims it never received funding from Hopewell, it lists every group or individual that has provided it with funding, which includes the 1610 Foundation, AFSCME, Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund, Google News Initiative Journalism Emergency Relief Fund, National Public Radio (NPR), Pew Charitable Trusts, ProPublica, the Unity Fund, the Wyss Foundation, and Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. 9

New Jersey Monitor is listed on States Newsroom’s tax returns. 10 11 Its newsletter and all its content are free, but it welcomes donations from its users. 12 13

Leadership

Terence T. McDonald is the editor of New Jersey Monitor and has been since its inception. McDonald has been covering news in New Jersey for about 20 years. 14 15

As of March 2024, the senior reporter of New Jersey Monitor was Dana DiFilippo. She was previously employed at WHYY, NPR’s Philadelphia branch, and the Philadelphia Daily News. 16 17 At WHYY, DeFilippo regularly wrote articles criticizing Philadelphia police, with headlines such as, “Shining the light on police corruption in Philadelphia through transparency,” “Outside investigation needed in police-involved shootings, state prosecutors say,” and “”Reforms fail to drop number of complaints against Philly Police.” 18 She also closely covered the #MeToo feminist movement and covered protests in favor of illegal immigration. 19 20

References

  1. “States Newsroom Launches New Jersey Monitor.” States Newsroom, July 28, 2021. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://statesnewsroom.com/press-releases/states-newsroom-launches-new-jersey-monitor/.
  2.  “About.” New Jersey Monitor. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://newjerseymonitor.com/about/.
  3. “Home.” New Jersey Monitor. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://newjerseymonitor.com/.
  4. Figueroa, Ariana. “Immigrant, business advocates frustrated by Biden’s humanitarian parole for new arrivals.” New Jersey Monitor, March 8, 2024. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://newjerseymonitor.com/2024/03/08/immigrant-business-advocates-frustrated-by-bidens-humanitarian-parole-for-new-arrivals/.
  5. DiFilippo, Dana. “Use of force incidents high among cops who attended controversial police training conference.” New Jersey Monitor, March 8, 2024. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://newjerseymonitor.com/2024/03/08/use-of-force-incidents-high-among-cops-who-attended-controversial-police-training-conference/.
  6. Nieto-Munoz, Sophie. “Women in New Jersey’s cannabis industry opening the doors for others to succeed.” New Jersey Monitor, March 11, 2024. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://newjerseymonitor.com/2024/03/11/women-in-new-jerseys-cannabis-industry-opening-the-doors-for-others-to-succeed/.
  7. “About.” New Jersey Monitor. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://newjerseymonitor.com/about/.
  8. Izadi, Elahe. “The troubling new void in local journalism – and the nonprofits trying to fill it.” The Washington Post, December 6, 2021. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2021/12/06/media-states-newsroom-government/.
  9. “Support.” States Newsroom. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://statesnewsroom.com/support/.
  10. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). New Jersey Monitor. 2021. Schedule O.
  11. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). New Jersey Monitor. 2022. Schedule O.
  12. “Subscribe.” New Jersey Monitor. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://newjerseymonitor.com/subscribe/.
  13. “Donate.” New Jersey Monitor. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://newjerseymonitor.com/donate/.
  14. “States Newsroom Launches New Jersey Monitor.” States Newsroom, July 28, 2021. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://statesnewsroom.com/press-releases/states-newsroom-launches-new-jersey-monitor/.
  15. “About.” New Jersey Monitor. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://newjerseymonitor.com/about/.
  16. “About.” New Jersey Monitor. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://newjerseymonitor.com/about/.
  17. “States Newsroom Launches New Jersey Monitor.” States Newsroom, July 28, 2021. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://statesnewsroom.com/press-releases/states-newsroom-launches-new-jersey-monitor/.
  18. “Dana DiFilippo – Page 15.” WHYY. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://whyy.org/person/dana-difilippo/page/15/.
  19. “Dana DiFilippo – Page 1.” WHYY. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://whyy.org/person/dana-difilippo/.
  20. “Dana DiFilippo – Page 15.” WHYY. Accessed March 11, 2024. https://whyy.org/person/dana-difilippo/page/15/.
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