Mission

We provide Nevadans with in-depth news coverage and informed opinions that shed light on the matters that affect them most. We operate as a reader-supported nonprofit that is committed to transparency in how we are funded and how we report.

About us

The Nevada Independent is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news and opinion website founded in 2017 by veteran political journalist and commentator Jon Ralston. The site and its supporting channels are focused on ethical, unbiased and transparent journalism. In general, we aim to gather and disseminate important public information and increase civic engagement.

We are supported by corporate donations, memberships, event ticket sales and sponsorships and foundation grants. We disclose all our members and donors. Donors have no influence over our content, ever.

The Nevada Independent  is the dba for Nevada News Bureau, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2010 by Elizabeth Thompson, who now serves as one of The Nevada Independent's managing directors and its Editor.

You can read CEO Jon Ralston's Jan. 16, 2017 introduction of The Nevada Independent here.

Content

Our primary focus is campaigns and elections; federal and state government; economy and business; and the following policy areas: education; law and criminal justice; health care; immigration; energy; and environment.

We provide content in both English and Spanish in order to serve the entire Nevada community.

Our content is free. Regular readers and supporters of our mission can choose to become sustaining members through a monthly or annual donation.

We have formed content-sharing agreements with a number of Nevada's rural newspapers, many of whom struggle to adequately staff their newsrooms for financial reasons. Stories written by The Nevada Independent are re-published free of charge by the following media outlets:  Elko Daily Free Press, The Fernley Reporter, Winnemucca Publishing, and the Battle Born Media chain, which includes Mesquite Local News, The Ely Times, The Eureka Sentinel, The Lincoln County Record, The Mineral County Independent-News and The Sparks Tribune. Read more about our rural partnerships here.

Editorial policy

We adhere to the code of ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.

We maintain a firm firewall between news coverage, the content on our opinion page, and donors and other sources of revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions. We offer no right of review or influence over editorial content to anyone for any reason.

Our general standards for campaign coverage are outlined here.

Diversity, equity and inclusion policy 

We strive to maintain a company culture that is respectful, fair and inclusive. We are proud to employ people of varying backgrounds who possess the experience, talent, energy and focus to bring their best to an environment of inclusiveness and collaboration. We continually seek diverse perspectives in our reporting because we believe this delivers a needed range of insights on human experiences that can challenge assumptions and help us develop new ways of seeing and storytelling. 

Diversity considerations at The Nevada Independent include weighing professional backgrounds, cultural backgrounds, personal experiences, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation and religion. We acknowledge that many individuals identify across multiple demographics or communities, and believe these perspectives enrich our company — and our work.

Interview terminology and what to expect when working with us

When a reporter identifies himself/herself and asks a question, whether in person, on the phone or by email, it is general practice to assume that the answer and subsequent conversation is on the record.

People who talk with us for potential stories may wish to establish whether conversations and interviews are on the record, off the record or "on background." On the record means anything you say may be used in a story. Off the record means anything you say is between you and the reporter and cannot be used in a story. On background means a reporter can use the information you give them, but cannot name or quote you directly.

If one of our reporters emails you a question, it is assumed the question is on the record. If you want your reply to be off the record on on background, you should begin it with the words "Off the record" or "On background".

When recording telephone or in-person conversations that serve as interviews, our reporters and editors operate under a two-party consent rule. (We always obtain a person's permission to record. Once we begin recording, we will re-ask for your consent to be recorded so your consent is part of the record.)

Anonymous sources

We prefer not to use anonymous sources for reports. In situations in which a person is at some risk of personal or professional harm were their identity to be revealed, as in cases of sexual assault or harassment, we will consider using anonymous accounts if we are able to independently verify the information provided and if the source is proven credible as we investigate his or her account and talk to others who have knowledge of the situation.

Our team

Our seasoned team of credentialed reporters and veteran columnists is the best in the state. We also publish occasional freelance work from talented journalists and columnists.

We retain nationally recognized pollster Mark Mellman to run high quality statewide polls and analyze data.

Our paywall-free, ad-free website

We are committed to providing the best online reader experience possible. Our website is clean and fast. We do not sell ads, bomb our readers with content-blocking pop-ups or post annoying auto-play videos.

We are committed to a high level of reader engagement. We will happily publish well-written op-eds from private citizens, and we hope you enjoy the many ways you can interact with our content and our staff.

If you have questions or comments, feel free to email editor Jon Ralston at [email protected].