The San Francisco Standard is an online news organization based in San Francisco, California, launched in 2021 and funded in part by the billionaire venture capitalist Michael Moritz of Sequoia Capital.[1]
| Format | Online |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California |
| Website | sfstandard |
History
editThe San Francisco Standard was originally Here/Say Media, a project of Civic Action Labs, a 501(c)4 nonprofit. Some journalism ethicists were concerned about the organization's structure (nearly all nonprofit journalism organizations are 501(c)3 nonprofits) and refusal to disclose its donors.[2][3] In March 2021, Here/Say disclosed on its website that it was funded by Crankstart, a foundation funded by Michael Moritz and Harriet Heyman.[3] In August 2021, Here/Say wrote that it had incorporated into an independent, for-profit entity, and that Moritz and Heyman had invested $10 million.[4]
In November 2021, Here/Say Media announced that the organization had changed its name to The San Francisco Standard.[5]
In December 2021, the Standard partnered with ABC 7 to cover the 2022 California's 17th State Assembly district special election.
The San Francisco Standard's voter poll was featured in news coverage on the recall election of progressive San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin.[6][7] In May 2022, the Standard published a story showing that Boudin's office secured three convictions for drug dealing in 2021, whereas Boudin's predecessor George Gascón oversaw over 90 convictions in 2018. Instead, Boudin's office emphasized convictions for a different crime which would not penalize foreign nationals with deportation or threats to naturalization.[8] The story generated secondary coverage in the National Review,[9] Washington Monthly,[10] and Courthouse News Service.[11]
In October 2022, editor-in-chief Jonathan Weber resigned, citing differences with chief executive Griffin Gaffney.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b Woo, Erin (2022-10-24). "Briefing: San Francisco Standard Editor-In-Chief Steps Down". The Information. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
- ^ Selig, Kate (2021-01-29). "New venture Here/Say Media won't disclose who its donors are. Experts say that's concerning". Mission Local. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
- ^ a b Schleifer, Theodore (2021-03-27). "How a $25 million donation to help students got ensnared in politics". Vox Media. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
- ^ "Jonathan Weber Joins Here/Say Media as Editor-in-Chief". The San Francisco Standard. 2021-08-10. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
- ^ "Here/Say Media Has a New Name". The San Francisco Standard. 2021-11-13. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
- ^ Dorn, Andrew (2022-06-07). "Why many outside San Francisco are watching the DA recall". NewsNation. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
- ^ Lowrey, Annie (2022-05-19). "The People vs. Chesa Boudin". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
- ^ Tong, Anna; Koehn, Josh (2022-05-17). "DA Boudin and Fentanyl: Court Data Shows Just 3 Drug Dealing Convictions in 2021 as Immigration Concerns Shaped Policy". The San Francisco Standard. Retrieved 2022-08-17.
- ^ Mills, Ryan (2022-06-08). "Progressive D.A. Chesa Boudin Recalled by San Francisco Voters". National Review. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
- ^ Scher, Bill (2022-06-10). "What Democrats Understand About Crime That Chesa Boudin Did Not". Washington Monthly. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
- ^ Hanson, Natalie. "Voters, investors and crime experts have eyes on bid to recall San Francisco DA". Courthouse News Service. Retrieved 2022-07-27.