The Texas Tribune

The Texas Tribune
Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0 · source
Name	The Texas Tribune
Type	Nonprofit news organization
Founded	2009
Founders	Evan Smith; John Thornton; Ross Ramsey
Headquarters	Austin, Texas
Language	English
Circulation	Digital

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, digital news organization founded in 2009 in Austin, Texas, focused on public affairs reporting across Texas. It covers statewide politics, policy, and public institutions with a mix of reporting, data journalism, and events aimed at civic engagement. The organization has become a prominent presence in Texas media landscapes, collaborating with universities, foundations, and national news outlets.

History

The Texas Tribune traces origins to a project led by Evan Smith alongside John Thornton and Ross Ramsey, influenced by models such as ProPublica, Politico, The New York Times and nonprofit experiments from Knight Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Ford Foundation. Early coverage connected to events like the 2008 United States presidential election and the 2008 financial crisis shaped its initial priorities, while Austin's media ecosystem including Austin American-Statesman and the University of Texas at Austin provided talent and audience. In its expansion phase the organization partnered with outlets such as The Washington Post, Reuters, Bloomberg News, The Associated Press, and NPR to amplify investigative projects tied to Texas institutions like the Texas Legislature, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Supreme Court. Leadership transitions involved figures linked to Texas Monthly, Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, and nonprofit leaders from organizations such as American Public Media and Center for Public Integrity.

Mission and Funding

The stated mission emphasizes public-service reporting modeled after organizations like Center for Investigative Reporting and Institute for Nonprofit News. Major philanthropic backers have included national and regional funders such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Koch Foundation, Google News Initiative, Poynter Institute, Houston Endowment, Lyda Hill Foundation, and Rockefeller Foundation. Institutional support and revenue streams mirror collaborations with academic partners such as Rice University, Texas A&M University, Southern Methodist University, and programmatic funding from National Science Foundation and MacArthur Foundation for data projects. The organization also generates income via events that attract participants from entities like the Texas Chamber of Commerce, Texas Democratic Party, Texas Republican Party, Federal Communications Commission, and municipal offices such as City of Houston, City of Dallas, and City of San Antonio.

Journalism and Coverage

Reporting priorities include statehouse coverage of the Texas Legislature, oversight of agencies including the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and beat reporting on institutions like University of Texas System, Texas A&M University System, Dallas Independent School District, and Houston Independent School District. Data journalism efforts have produced interactive tools referenced by outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Atlantic, and Vox. Investigations examined subjects tied to elections overseen by the Texas Secretary of State, public finance tied to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, healthcare issues involving Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and disasters such as Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Laura. Collaborations frequently involved reporting partnerships with ProPublica, Reveal, The Marshall Project, Mother Jones, and regional papers like Fort Worth Star-Telegram and San Antonio Express-News.

Events and Partnerships

The organization is known for hosting forums, debates, and conferences that convene leaders from Texas Governor's Office, legislative delegations, business associations like Greater Houston Partnership, advocacy groups such as ACLU of Texas, labor organizations including Texas AFL-CIO, and policy institutes like Texas Public Policy Foundation and Center for Public Policy Priorities. Signature events have included panels featuring speakers from Supreme Court of the United States, delegations from United States Congress, and commentators associated with Cato Institute, Brookings Institution, Hoover Institution, and media personalities from Meet the Press and Face the Nation. Academic partnerships with Baylor University, St. Edward's University, and Texas Christian University support fellowship programs and reporting internships.

Organizational Structure and Governance

Governance includes a board composed of leaders from philanthropy, academia, and media, with trustees and advisors drawn from organizations like Texas Tribune Festival partners, Kroll, Ernst & Young, Goldman Sachs, and law firms such as Baker Botts and Vinson & Elkins. Executive leadership has included editors and CEOs with backgrounds at National Public Radio, Time Magazine, The New Yorker, and regional newsrooms including El Paso Times and Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Editorial staff collaborate with data scientists and developers influenced by practices at FiveThirtyEight and Wikimedia Foundation. Legal and compliance interactions have involved counsel experienced with First Amendment litigation and nonprofit regulation linked to the Internal Revenue Service.

Awards and Impact

The organization and its journalists have received awards and recognition from institutions such as the Pulitzer Prize (finalists and contributors), Investigative Reporters and Editors awards, Society of Professional Journalists honors, and grants from Knight Foundation. Reporting has influenced policy debates within the Texas Legislature, prompted administrative reviews in agencies like the Texas Education Agency, and informed litigation filed in state courts including the Texas Supreme Court and federal courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. Coverage has been cited by researchers at Harvard Kennedy School, Brennan Center for Justice, Pew Research Center, and used in curricula at University of Texas at Austin and Rice University.

Category:Newspapers published in Texas