The Tennessean Losing Good Peebles: Veteran Government Editor Departs To Texas

By Kleinheider Posted on August 22, 2008 at 7:18 pm

First, you get the Pulle, then you get the Peebles, then you get the pageviews.

Post Politics has learned that Tennessean Government Editor Jennifer Peebles will depart 1100 Broadway two weeks from today for sunny Houston, Texas. Peebles will take the title of Deputy Editor at a new non-profit news site she helped found, Texas Watchdog.

Peebles confirmed the news late this evening, “I’m really excited about going to work for Trent [Seibert], but leaving here is really hard.”

Earlier this month, Post Politics reported that Peebles had helped set up, and would sit on the board of, the startup. At the time, Peebles had every intention of being just a helpful and watchful remote eye from Tennessee for fellow co-founders, Trent Seibert and Lee Ann O’Neal. It appears, however, that the lure of the Astrodome was too much.

Editor-in-Chief Seibert couldn’t be happier that the woman responsible for “75% Texas Watchdog’s vision” will come on board as a full-time staffer.

“She’s one of the best editors I’ve ever worked with over my career and we are all thrilled to get her to come with us on a full-time basis. I feared she wouldn’t leave Tennessee but I believe she was comforted by the fact they’ve got statues of famous Tennessean Sam Houston up everywhere,” Seibert tells Post Politics excitedly. “Truth be told, that makes us all feel right at home. Jennifer can crunch numbers like Stephen Hawking and can see through politicians’ bullsh** like she’s got a radar built into her head. She is instrumental in complex stories.”

Peebles, of course, joins not just Seibert and O’Neal but Matt Pulle as well as Tennessee journalists leaving to contribute to Seibert’s new Texas venture in what is becoming somewhat of a Tennessee journalism brain drain.

“I feel I’m creating a halfway house of sorts. You know, ‘Seibert’s Home for Wayward Journalists,’ or something similar,” Seibert quips. “But it’s my kind of halfway house. We’ve got a bottle of vodka in my bottom drawer.”

permalink | 3 Comments

Tags: Jennifer Peebles, Matt Pulle, Texas Watchdog, Trent Seibert  

Messing With Texas: Seibert Leaves Think Tank For Internet Startup

By Kleinheider Posted on August 12, 2008 at 8:01 am

Journalist turned think-tanker, Trent “Sweet Tea” Seibert, is turning journalist yet again. The former Tennessean reporter and WKRN investigative journalist who teamed up more than a year ago with the libertarian Tennessee Center For Policy Research to serve as their Director of Government Accountability has departed that organization and the Music City for the home of the Astrodome.

Seibert, with the help of some as yet unnamed benefactors, has started Texas Watchdog described on its new website as “a news Web site and training center that scrutinizes the actions of government agencies, bureaucracies and politicians in Texas.”

While he was loathe to leave Nashville, Seibert felt the opportunity to strike out on his own was too good to pass up.

“Leaving Nashville will be the toughest part. I love this town. It’s a heckuva town. I’ll miss working with Drew [Johnson] and with TCPR. There was a free-wheeling spirit there. We were fighting for a lot of good things: better open records, a more transparent government, more government accountability to residents – the kinds of things I fought for as a journalist,” Seibert tells Post Politics. “But I want to get back into journalism, and this is a phenomenal opportunity to do exactly that, as well as work with two journalists that I greatly respect.”

Indeed, Seibert is not alone in this venture and the names of his associates and fellow board members will not be unfamiliar to Tennessee media watchers. Lee Ann O’Neal, formerly of the Tennessean as well as the Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times, is on the team as City Editor.

Also on board is currrent Tennessean Government Editor Jennifer Peebles. The 14 year Tennessean veteran and Vandy grad, however, cannot be chalked up as just the latest statistic in the mass exodus from 1100 Broadway. Peebles has no intention of leaving her day job.

The powers that be at the Tennessean are fully apprised of her involvement in the new organization and bestowed their blessing on her activities. Peebles role with Watchdog will be chiefly an advisory one as her former Tennessean colleagues do most of the grunt work on the ground in Texas.

“I am very excited to be part of Texas Watchdog, even though Trent and Lee Ann are really doing all the work,” Peebles explains, “I think two full-time employees is about all our little startup nonprofit is going to handle. I have the greatest respect for Trent and Lee Ann — God bless ‘em, they have taken a leap of faith and are truly putting their whole lives into making this work. Leaving your job (and your health insurance) to move to another state is a big leap. They’ve really put their whole lives into it.”

As its website indicates, the new organization is not only seeking to fill a void in investigative journalism Seibert has seen develop as traditional news organizations cut staff and resources, Texas Watchdog has an evangelical mission as well.

“Our organizational model is a newsroom – that teaches. We’re bringing in bloggers, citizen journalists, journalists from small papers – frankly, anyone that wants to walk through the door. We train them and they produce for our website where we will break news. They leave with the skills of a journalist so they can dig up original content for their own blogs/jobs/desire to fight city hall,” explains Seibert.

So why Texas? Trent breaks it down.

“Texas is a place that people nationally look to see what works and then they duplicate it in their states. (California would have been another logical choice, in that regard.) And Houston is chock full of entrepreneurs. We’re hoping to tap into that community for ideas/cash/support, etc.” Seibert tells Post Politics.

“If it works in Texas, it can work anywhere in the US. And with journalism going the way it is, I think we need more organizations like this in every city in America.”

Texas Watchdog is an independent, nonpartisan corporation currently seeking nonprofit 501(c)3 status. Apply to work with Trent here.

SEE ALSO: Trent on YouTube

permalink | 5 Comments

Tags: Gannett, Houston, Jennifer Peebles, Lee Ann O'Neal, Nashville, Tennessean, Tennessee Center For Policy Research, Texas Watchdog, Trent Seibert