This week, Pulitzer Prize board member Emily Ramshaw soft-launched The 19th, a political news site that will consider politics and policy through a female lens. The full-scale launch is scheduled for this August.
Ramshaw, most recently of the Texas Tribune, will serve as co-founder and CEO, while Amanda Zamora is co-founder and publisher, Andrea Valdez is editor-in-chief, Errin Haines is editor-at-large and Johanna Derlega is chief revenue officer. She spoke to Pulitzer.org about why she made this move now, and what she aims to achieve.
Johanna Derlega, Emily Ramshaw, Errin Haines, Amanda Zamora, and Andrea Valdez of The 19th.
PULITZER PRIZES: What trends in the news industry made you feel like now was the right time to launch The 19th?
EMILY RAMSHAW: I'd say it's less of a trend than an enduring reality: the underrepresentation of women and serious lack of diversity in the highest ranks of American media — particularly politics and policy media. There are simply not enough women leading newsrooms, and as a result, not enough stories about the issues, inequities and unique challenges that most directly affect women's lives. Women are the majority of the American electorate. We'll cover them like the considerable and formidable voting bloc they are, not as a special interest group.
PP: So far, what has been the hardest part of getting this project off the ground? The most rewarding?
ER: The hardest part has also been the most rewarding: fundraising to get The 19th off the ground. It's been difficult because it's required a lot of cross-country travel and a lot of bedtimes away from my sweet 4-year-old, who needs her mom a lot right now! But the generosity has been so moving. There are so many people who are inspired to make The 19th a reality, and their faith in us is so energizing.
PP: You're hiring! What do you look for when recruiting journalists? Which skills should budding journalists tune up in the current media landscape generally?
ER: We're looking for journalists who are curious, ambitious, critical thinkers, great writers and all around wonderful human beings. We also want our newsroom to truly reflect the nation's women, so diversity is paramount.
PP: The big launch is coming up in this summer. What can readers expect to see? What would you be particularly proud to accomplish in this first year?
ER: Readers can expect to see free-to-consume and free-to-republish journalism that reimagines politics and policy coverage through a gender lens. Deep-dive, evidence-based reporting that exposes gender inequity and injustice. And storytelling that elevates the voices of women of color and women off of the coasts, and empathizes with them.
Related
Emily Ramshaw of Texas Tribune Elected to Pulitzer Prize Board
Pulitzer Board Member and Texan Emily Ramshaw on Hurricane Harvey