Union-Tribune, editor team up for nonprofit venture

San Diego Union-Tribune senior editor Laurie Hearn has partnered with the new owners of the newspaper to launch a nonprofit investigative reporting outfit. Hearn will leave the paper in July to begin work on the project.

From the Voice of San Diego:

"This is not the Union-Tribune's non-profit," said Lorie Hearn, who currently oversees the paper's watchdog journalism efforts. "It is my idea for starting a nonprofit, and I approached The San Diego Union-Tribune as partners."

However,the U-T has made a substantial financial commitment to the fledgling enterprise and will be its lead partner, Hearn said in an interview today.

While certain investigative stories may be made available to all media organizations, they'll be provided exclusively to official partners such as the U-T first, she said.

U-T editor Karin Winner announced to staff on Friday that Hearn will leave the paper to start The Watchdog Institute, which is negotiating a partnership that may allow it to be housed at San Diego State University.