New York Focus is a nonprofit news organization that produces investigative journalism covering New York State and City politics and policy.[1] The organization was founded in October 2020 by Akash Mehta, who acts as editor-in-chief.[2][3] New York Focus' initial funding came from the Open Society Foundation.[4] Current funding sources include the Ford Foundation, the Vital Projects Funds, revenue from publishing partnerships, and donations from private individuals.[1][3] Mehta stated in a 2021 interview with Spectrum News that the organization's mission is to "serve as a home for adversarial, in-depth investigative reporting on New York state politics and policy."[4]
| Founded | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Type | 501(c)(3) |
| Focus | Investigative journalism |
Area served | New York State |
Editor-in-Chief | Akash Mehta |
| Affiliations | Institute for Nonprofit News, States Newsroom |
| Website | www |
Notable reporting
editState government affairs
editIn 2022, New York Focus was the first to report on criminal charges filed against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for allegedly committing the crime of forcible touching against a female aide.[5][6]
Criminal legal system
editIn 2021, New York Focus collected data for[7] and published a joint report with Gothamist and WNYC about the large variations in how frequently judges grant bail to people awaiting trial.[8][9][10]
On November 3, 2021 New York Focus and the Intercept published the results of their joint investigation into physical and sexual abuse in New York state prisons, and issues with accountability therein.[11][3]
On June 6, 2023, New York Focus reported on a directive from New York's Department of Corrections and Community Supervision limiting the distribution of writing and other creative work produced by incarcerated people. On June 7, 2023 the Department of Corrections rescinded the directive.
References
edit- ^ a b "New York Focus, the Empire State–centered newsroom, aims to hold Albany accountable". Nieman Lab. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ^ "About Us". New York Focus. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- ^ a b c Bellafante, Ginia (2023-06-09). "Upstart News Site Has Youth on Its Side, and Albany in Its Sights". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ a b "Scrappy "New York Focus" is 6 months old, and growing". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- ^ Mehta, Akash (2021-10-28). "Charges Filed Against Andrew Cuomo for Forcible Touching". New York Focus. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- ^ Ferré-Sadurní, Luis; Bromwich, Jonah E. (2021-10-28). "Andrew Cuomo Is Charged in Sexual Misconduct Complaint". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- ^ Pinto, Nick (28 September 2021). "Judge Tried to Send Immunocompromised Homeless Man Accused of Stealing Blankets to Rikers". The Intercept. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
- ^ "What Is Happening With Rikers Right Now? Here's Everything You Need to Know". Esquire. 2021-10-09. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
- ^ "People - Akash Mehta | WNYC | New York Public Radio, Podcasts, Live Streaming Radio, News". WNYC. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
- ^ Lach, Eric (2021-10-09). "What Responsibility Do Courts Bear for the Crisis at Rikers Island?". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- ^ Law, Victoria (2022-11-03). "Sexual Assault Allegation Exposes Self-Policing Prison System". The Intercept. Retrieved 2023-06-09.