Voice of Politics in Nevada Media Starts a News Website

In the months after Sheldon Adelson, a casino magnate and prominent Republican donor, purchased The Las Vegas Review-Journal in late 2015, one local journalist was particularly relentless in criticizing the new ownership. Jon Ralston, perhaps the state’s most prominent political reporter and columnist, referred to The Review-Journal as “The Adelson News,” suggesting Adelson was unduly influencing Nevada’s largest newspaper. In “The End of Vegas Journalism, Chapter 5,091” Ralston shared his opinions about the “journalism bankruptcy” of the city’s papers.

Then PBS abruptly canceled Ralston’s television show, “Ralston Live,” saying it did not have the financial resources to continue. Ralston had a different take, saying that his pointed commentary about the state’s elite “ruffled feathers.” Whatever the reason, Ralston said he should try to figure out what happened or move forward in his career.

Ralston will set off on his own with The Nevada Independent, a nonprofit, donation-based news website that he hopes will add more journalistic heft to the coverage of state politics.