Signaling new era of civic journalism, CommonWealth Magazine is rebranding as CommonWealth Beacon

At a time when many corporate owners think the path to financial sustainability is to lay off reporters and slash coverage, we think the answer is to grow our impact, demonstrate our value and engage readers, civic leaders and community members so we can attract the financial resources that are essential for quality journalism to survive.”

Joe Kriesberg, CEO of MassINC and publisher of CommonWealth Beacon

Today, the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth (MassINC) announced the rebranding of Commonwealth Magazine, a reliable source of quality policy-oriented journalism for more than 25 years in Massachusetts. Now transformed into CommonWealth Beacon, the nonprofit civic news organization maintains the same goal of providing the public with independent, non-partisan original reporting on state government, public policy and politics in Massachusetts, but with new features and fresh content to drive continued reader and civic engagement, as well as respond to current trends in local news.

“The decline in for-profit journalism, the rise in misinformation, and the increasingly fractured and polarized civic culture underscores the need for a response,” said Joe Kriesberg, CEO of MassINC and publisher of CommonWealth Beacon.  “We believe non-profit civic journalism is an essential antidote to these troubling trends and aligns with our mission to make Massachusetts a place of civic vitality and inclusive economic opportunity.”

Bruce Mohl, who has served as CommonWealth’s editor for the past 15 years, will maintain his leadership role with the rebranded CommonWealth Beacon. Mohl, executive editor Michael Jonas and others have been actively involved in planning the next phase of the “magazine” to complete its transition from print to digital, including an expanded newsroom to cover more stories across a wider range of issues. Together with investments in a modern digital news infrastructure to capture and measure reader engagement, build and grow a sustainable audience, and drive further changes in content development, the changes will collectively provide a solid foundation for continued growth.  

“At a time when many corporate owners think the path to financial sustainability is to lay off reporters and slash coverage, we think the answer is to grow our impact, demonstrate our value and engage readers, civic leaders and community members so we can attract the financial resources that are essential for quality journalism to survive,” said Kriesberg.

CommonWealth Beacon (CWB) will feature a renewed commitment to long-form journalism through ”CommonWealth In-Depth,” more data journalism in a new “By the Numbers” section, and a rebranded opinion section called “CommonWealth Voices,” which Kriesberg believes will be “the most inclusive and influential platform in the state for a diverse array of civic leaders to share their ideas.”

Commonwealth’s popular “Codcast” — launched in the spring of 2016 at a time when news organizations were just beginning to offer podcasts — will feature exciting new guests, including a LIVE episode at 3:15 p.m. ET today featuring Danielle Allen, Harvard professor, Democracy scholar and former candidate for MA Governor. Readers can also expect to see new polling from MassINC Polling Group on issues impacting the state.

Mohl also expressed a commitment to building the overall news ecosystem. “We intend to give our content away to other news outlets in Massachusetts to help strengthen local news coverage across the state,” said Mohl. “In the lifeboat of local journalism, no one is a competitor and everyone is a potential collaborator.”

As part of the relaunch, CWB has established detailed policies to ensure journalistic ethics, editorial independence, financial transparency and a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. CWB will also have an Advisory Committee of leaders in business, media, academia and nonprofit news who will help guide the news organization’s efforts going forward. The committee includes:

• Geri Denterlein, chief executive officer, Denterlein Associates  
• Lane Glenn, president, Northern Essex Community College   
• Meghan Irons, professor of journalism, Boston University  
• Tripp Jones, principal, 21c; former publisher, Commonwealth
• Dan Kennedy, professor of Journalism, Northeastern University
• Javier Marin, executive chairman, El Planeta Media
• Chris Mayer, Cmayer Consulting; former publisher, The Boston Globe
• Colette Phillips, principal, CPC, Inc.

“As a longtime friend of CommonWealth, I’m thrilled that the rebranded CommonWealth Beacon is expanding its mission of providing serious coverage of state policy and politics, joining nationally respected nonprofits like The Texas Tribune, NJ Spotlight News and CT Mirror,” said Dan Kennedy. “Moreover, by offering its coverage to community news outlets in Massachusetts, CommonWealth Beacon will fill a gap and help readers of these outlets make the connection between purely local issues and the broader state landscape.”

CommonWealth Beacon can be found at www.commonwealthbeacon.org.

About CommonWealth Beacon:

CommonWealth Beacon is published by the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth (MassINC). Founded in 1996, MassINC’s mission is to make Massachusetts a place of civic vitality and inclusive economic opportunity by providing residents with the nonpartisan research, reporting, analysis and civic engagement necessary to understand policy choices, inform decision making and hold the government accountable. In addition to Commonwealth Beacon, MassINC includes a robust Research Center and the MassINC Polling Group (MPG).