Stories by Joel Gross
Why now is the time to remove our paywall (and how you can help)
The Austin Monitor officially launched as a nonprofit in 2013, but our reporting roots go all the way back to the mid-’90s. We have been producing ongoing and in-depth public service journalism that covers important issues in the community for…
Mission Note • By Joel Gross • Nov 30, 2021
Enhancing your news experience: A first step
We know there are a lot of information and media sources that compete for your time. It seems like this number grows exponentially every year, and with the move to everything digital, we know it is important to factor in…
Mission Note • By Joel Gross • Nov 22, 2021
Introducing the Austin Monitor's strategic advisory council of guides
Few industries are as American as the press. Revered by the Founding Fathers as “one of the great bulwarks of liberty,” the role of the free press is literally written into the First Amendment, and its impact has proven invaluable…
Mission Note • By Joel Gross • Sep 23, 2021
Local news is a two-way street
I often describe the Austin Monitor as a news source that exists at the intersection of local government and community. One of the many reasons we believe this space is so important is because of the tremendous influence each side…
Mission Note • By Joel Gross • Jun 29, 2021
Our decisions shape the community
I previously described elections as a “high-stakes civic intersection between information and action” – in other words, right in the Austin Monitor’s wheelhouse. When it comes to turnout, this recent special election had numerous factors stacked against it: mid-year (not…
Mission Note • By Joel Gross • May 18, 2021
Our journey ahead
Everyone who has ever found themselves fighting the good fight for a nonprofit has a personal story about how they got there. I love hearing these stories, and while the details are always unique, they all follow the same humanizing…
