Niagara Falls Reporter
Encyclopedia
The Niagara Falls Reporter is a weekly newspaper published in Niagara Falls, New York
. It was launched on June 28, 2000, by veteran journalist Mike Hudson, who had previously worked for newspapers in Ohio
, Pennsylvania
and New York City
. Hudson had also worked at the Niagara Gazette
but was fired due to his radical point of view.
With a circulation of 22,500, the paper has managed to thrive during a generally dismal period for the newspaper industry. Its tabloid format, long form investigative reporting and free distribution have all been factors in this success.
The Reporter played a central role in the Laborers Local 91 story, in which the entire corrupt
leadership of the Niagara Falls union pleaded or were found guilty on numerous federal charges of extortion and racketeering. The case resulted in Hudson being the only journalist subpoenaed to testify in the trials.
The paper also uncovered the evidence that began a federal investigation that led to the federal indictment of former Niagara Falls Mayor Vince Anello on charges of public corruption.
The Reporter published a series of articles commencing in late 2008 through 2010 on the twin leases that the Maid of the Mist boats operated by Lewiston NY businessman James Glynn had with the Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) in Ontario and the New York State Parks. The Reporter was first to publish the terms of the leases, and broke a story that the NPC secretly reduced the rent while excluding other bidders.
The Minister of Tourism for the Province of Ontario ordered the Maid of the Mist lease out to bid for the first time in the history of the Niagara Parks in late 2009.
The city council of Niagara Falls voted to endorse the Niagara Falls Reporter as the weekly newspaper of the city council for purposes of publishing information the council wishes the public to be informed about as well as any other matters the council wishes to be printed or published in 2011.
Since its launch, the paper's reporting on a wide variety of topics has been cited or linked to by The Wall Street Journal
, The New York Times
, and The Washington Post
, along with magazines like Editor & Publisher
and the Columbia Journalism Review
, and Web outlets including Salon and Wikipedia.
Hudson has also written four books, Niagara Falls Confidential, Mob Boss, "Jetsam," and Diary of a Punk (the latter is a memoir of his years as the leader of the 1970s Cleveland, Ohio
-based punk rock
band The Pagans
).
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
. It was launched on June 28, 2000, by veteran journalist Mike Hudson, who had previously worked for newspapers in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Hudson had also worked at the Niagara Gazette
Niagara Gazette
The Niagara Gazette is a morning daily newspaper published in Niagara Falls, New York, USA, which covers several towns and villages of Niagara County, including Niagara, and the City of Niagara Falls. It was bought by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc., along with other area newspapers such as the...
but was fired due to his radical point of view.
With a circulation of 22,500, the paper has managed to thrive during a generally dismal period for the newspaper industry. Its tabloid format, long form investigative reporting and free distribution have all been factors in this success.
The Reporter played a central role in the Laborers Local 91 story, in which the entire corrupt
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
leadership of the Niagara Falls union pleaded or were found guilty on numerous federal charges of extortion and racketeering. The case resulted in Hudson being the only journalist subpoenaed to testify in the trials.
The paper also uncovered the evidence that began a federal investigation that led to the federal indictment of former Niagara Falls Mayor Vince Anello on charges of public corruption.
The Reporter published a series of articles commencing in late 2008 through 2010 on the twin leases that the Maid of the Mist boats operated by Lewiston NY businessman James Glynn had with the Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) in Ontario and the New York State Parks. The Reporter was first to publish the terms of the leases, and broke a story that the NPC secretly reduced the rent while excluding other bidders.
The Minister of Tourism for the Province of Ontario ordered the Maid of the Mist lease out to bid for the first time in the history of the Niagara Parks in late 2009.
The city council of Niagara Falls voted to endorse the Niagara Falls Reporter as the weekly newspaper of the city council for purposes of publishing information the council wishes the public to be informed about as well as any other matters the council wishes to be printed or published in 2011.
Since its launch, the paper's reporting on a wide variety of topics has been cited or linked to by The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, and The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, along with magazines like Editor & Publisher
Editor & Publisher
Editor & Publisher is a monthly magazine covering the North American newspaper industry. It is based in New York City. E&P calls itself "America's Oldest Journal Covering the Newspaper Industry" and describes itself on its website as "the authoritative journal covering all aspects of the North...
and the Columbia Journalism Review
Columbia Journalism Review
The Columbia Journalism Review is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961....
, and Web outlets including Salon and Wikipedia.
Hudson has also written four books, Niagara Falls Confidential, Mob Boss, "Jetsam," and Diary of a Punk (the latter is a memoir of his years as the leader of the 1970s Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
-based punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The Pagans
The Pagans
The Pagans were an early American punk rock band from Cleveland, Ohio that was originally active from 1977 to 1979 before briefly reforming in 1982 and disbanding the following year...
).