MintPress News
Type of site | News website |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| URL | mintpressnews |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Optional |
| Launched | 2013 |
MintPress News (MPN) is an independent American news website which was founded in 2011 and launched February 2013,[1] with an administrative office in Minnesota.[2]
According to its website, Mint Press News is an online journalism startup providing "issue-based-original reporting, in-depth investigations and thoughtful analysis of the most pressing topics facing our nation through the lens of social justice and human" covering national (U.S.) politics and policy, civil liberties, the war on drugs, foreign affairs, energy, lifestyle, culture, technology and the environment.
Reporters, correspondents and editors are based across the United States in over eight states, and several countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
“Our media has failed us very miserably,” Mnar Muhawesh said as to her aspirations of starting Mint Press. "We want to give a voice to the voiceless". [3]
History
MintPress News was founded in January 2011 by Mnar A. Muhawesh, a broadcast journalism graduate of St. Cloud State University and speaker on responsible journalism, sexism and women in entrepreneurship. She began her career as an independent multimedia journalist covering Midwest and national politics while focusing on civil liberties and social justice issues where she posted her work on her blog Mint Press, which she later turned the blog into the global website it is today, according to Maple Grove Magazine. “Our media has failed us very miserably,” Mnar Muhawesh said as to her aspirations of starting Mint Press. "We want to give a voice to the voiceless". [4]
Kate Hindes’ is the media adviser and business strategist for MintPress. Hindes is an industry leader, national author and keynote speaker on emotional integrity and authenticity in today’s online media. With 15+ years of combined experience for news media, state government and Fortune 500 businesses, she’s a regular contributor to industry magazines and national publications. Notably, she sits on the coaching panel for Keith Ferrazzi’s Relationship Academy, alongside Chris Brogan and Tony Hsieh.
Hindes was also recruited by the White House Public Affairs Office of Volunteerism for the Director of New Media position and helped solidify the current administration’s position on Social Media within Volunteerism and Engagement while helping the department become HTML 5 ready, and has feature stories published on ABCNews.com, PioneerPress, StarTribune, WCCO, Kare11, Huffington post and over 15 other national outlets. On the about MintPressNews page [1], it states that a media advisory board will be posted soon.
In 2012, Muhawesh raised her startup capital from her connections in the Twin Cities, MN business and non-profit world, which is currently covering all of Mint Press’s costs.[5]In 2012, MPN said it was a for-profit “regular news organization,” with an initial three-year break-even business plan based on advertising.[6] In January 2012, MPN's angel investors were said to be unnamed "retired businesspeople" who "choose to remain anonymous," and will help fund MPN for three years, according to Colombia Journalism Review. Muhawesh’s father-in-law, Odeh Muhawesh,an adjunct University of St. Thomas Middle Eastern History professor,[7] advised MPN on business matters in 2012. In an interview, Muhawesh said he has “zero involvement financially” or editorially in MintPress, according to the Star Tribune.
Odeh Muhawesh has been described by Bloomberg Businessweek as, 'an accomplished executive with a strong record of growing revenue and developing competitive products for software and services companies'.[8] In 2013 in an email to BuzzFeed, Mnar Muhawesh said she was financing Mint Press alone: "MintPress was originally funded by angel investors when I was first putting the company together over a year ago, but that route fell through last year as I restructured the business plan,” Muhawesh said. “I am the sole investor of MintPress.”[9]
Syria Reporting Controversy
On 29 August 2013, an MPN article bylined to MPN contributors Dale Gavlak and Yahya Ababneh reported that Syrian rebels and local residents in Ghouta, Syria alleged in interviews that the Al-Nusra Front was responsible for the chemical weapons incidents in Ghouta; those interviewed claimed that weapons had been delivered to untrained fighters and "some of the fighters handled the weapons improperly and set off the explosions."[10] Gavlak later told Brown Moses Blog that "Despite my repeated requests, made directly and through legal counsel, they have not been willing to issue a retraction stating that I was not the author. Yahya Ababneh is the sole reporter and author of the Mint Press News piece."[11] Gavlak later clarified that she had "served as an editor of Ababneh's material in English as he normally writes in Arabic. Gavlak had been a weekly corresponent to MintPress News, writing for the online new magazine since March 2013[12] MPN editor, Mnar Muhawesh released two public statements saying that Gavlak retracted her involvement due to pressure from third parties two days after the article was published and did only "assist in the research and writing process of the article" and that MPN stands by Gavlak and the co-author Yahya Ababneh.
The MPN report had been "widely circulated"[13] and cited among others by Military.com, the Voice of Russia, Press TV, Spanish newspaper ABC, ConsortiumNews.com and InfoWars.[14][15][16][17][18] Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting initially characterized the article as "honest about the limits of its knowledge", but after Gavlak's comments dissociating herself from the story wrote that "with the allegations of unprofessional behavior on the part of Mint Press News, there's little reason to take the Mint Press story seriously."[19] Asked about the Mint Press News story Åke Sellström, Chief UN weapons inspector in Syria remarked ; "They are famous for 1001 Arabian Nights Stories." [20]
References
- ^ cjr.org
- ^ Press TV
- ^ cjr.org according to Colombia Journalism Review.
- ^ cjr.org according to Colombia Journalism Review.
- ^ cjr.org according to Colombia Journalism Review.
- ^ David Brauer, MinnPost, 18 January 2012, Who is MintPress and why are they doing all this hiring?
- ^ Muhawesh, Odeh
- ^ according to Bloomberg businessweek.
- ^ Rosie Gray and Jessica Testa, buzzfeed, 1 October 2013 The Inside Story Of One Website’s Defense Of Assad
- ^ Mint Press News, "EXCLUSIVE: Syrians In Ghouta Claim Saudi-Supplied Rebels Behind Chemical Attack," Aug. 29, 2013. http://www.mintpressnews.com/witnesses-of-gas-attack-say-saudis-supplied-rebels-with-chemical-weapons/168135/
- ^ Brown Moses Blog, 20 September 2013, Statement By Dale Gavlak On The Mint Press Article "Syrians In Ghouta Claim Saudi-Supplied Rebels Behind Chemical Attack"
- ^ "Author : Dale Gavlak". Retrieved 25 September 2013.
- ^ Bryant Jordan, 10 September 2013, military.com, White House Mum on Rebel Chem Weapons Use
- ^ Voice of Russia, 30 August 2013, 'Syrian rebels take responsibility for the chemical attack admitting the weapons were provided by Saudis' - source
- ^ infowars.com, 30 August 2013, EXCLUSIVE: Syrians In Ghouta Claim Saudi-Supplied Rebels Behind Chemical Attack
- ^ Lisa Pease, ConsortiumNews.com, 4 September 2013, The Still-Sketchy Intel on Syria
- ^ Press TV, 1 September 2013, Saudi Prince Bandar behind chemical attack in Syria: Report
- ^ ABC, 2 September 2013, Una colaboradora de AP afirma que el ataque en Damasco fue obra de los rebeldes
- ^ Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, "Which Syrian Chemical Attack Account Is More Credible?", 1 Sept 2013 with undated update 20 September 2013.
- ^ crbneworld February 2014