Changes

{{#badges:SPN|Koch Exposed|AEX}}'''The Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity''', publisher of the site "Watchdog.org," is a national 501(c)(3) journalism organization based in Alexandria, Virginia and started established in 2009.<ref>Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, [http://franklincenterhq.org/about/ About], organizational website, accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> According Franklin writes its mission is to be "dedicated to a previous iteration the principles of the organization's websitetransparency, accountability, the group's mission involves "networking and training independent investigative reportersfiscal responsibility, as well as journalists from and highlight their absence in state based news organizationsand local governments," and to "shine the bright light of transparency into government’s darkest corners, public-policy institutions & watchdog groupsand expose the facts about government mismanagement and overreach."<ref>Franklin Center For Government & Public Integrity, [http://www.franklincenterhq.org/about/mission/ MissionAbout], organizational website, accessed August 19June 23, 20112017.</ref> The Franklin Center funded state reporters in more than 40 states as of in August 2011,<ref>The Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, [http://www.franklincenterhq.org/2376/think-tank-journalism-the-future-of-investigative-reporting/ Think tank Journalism: The Future of Investigative Journalism], organizational website, accessed August 19, 2011, since modified by the organization.</ref> and in 34 states as of in May 2013.<ref name="2013_list">Franklin Center, [http://www.sourcewatch.org/images/e/e5/Franklin_Center_May_2013.pdf Watchdog.org], organizational document, May 2013, obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy June 2013.</ref> In As of June 2017, Watchdog.org employs reporters has state bureaus in five seven states according to its staff list, although they have 28 Watchdog state sites. Despite their non-partisan description, many of these websites have received criticism for their conservative bias.<ref>Rebekah Metzler, [http://www.pressherald.com/news/watchdog-website-puts-a-new-spin-on-politics_2010-10-02.html 'Watchdog' website puts a new spin on politics'], ''The Portland Press Herald'', accessed August 19, 2011.</ref><ref>Allison Kilkenny, [http://www.truth-out.org/koch-spider-web/1312231636 The Koch Spider Web], ''Truthout'', August 4, 2011.</ref>

The Franklin Center was launched by the Chicago-based [[Sam Adams Alliance]] (SAM) in 2009,<ref>Sam Adams Alliance, [http://www.samadamsalliance.org/media/5148/sam_adams_alliance_media_kit.pdf Sam Adams Alliance Media Kit], organizational PDF, accessed August 19, 2011.</ref><ref>Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism, [http://features.journalism.org/non-profit-news/watchdogs/ Watchdog,org], organizational media report, accessed June 2013.</ref> a 501(c)(3) devoted to pushing free-market ideals. In a 2010 interview, Franklin Center Executive Director Jason Stverak told Gene Gibbons that "the Sam Adams Alliance gave his organization a start‐up grant83 but otherwise was not willing to specify where the Franklin Center gets its funds."<ref name="GibbonsKennedy"/> However, according to an investigation by the ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', the Franklin Center also receives funding from the Wisconsin-based [[Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation]],<ref>Daniel Bice, [http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/127259723.html Franklin Center boss wants apology from Democratic staffer], ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', accessed August 19, 2011.</ref> a conservative grant-making organization.<ref>Bradley Foundation, [http://www.bradleyfdn.org/ The Bradley Foundation], organizational website, accessed August 19, 2011.</ref>

The Franklin Center’s previous president, [[Jason Stverak]], is the former Regional Field Director for SAM, served as North Dakota Executive Director for the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee and former Executive Director of the North Dakota Republican Party.<ref>Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, [http://www.franklincenterhq.org/about/staff/ Staff], organizational website, accessed August 19, 2011.</ref>

As of January June 2017:<ref>Watchdog.org, [http://watchdog.org/ Watchdog.org], ''Watchdog.org'', 2017.</ref><br>(The bureaus in bold have full-time staff listed)<ref name="Staff"/>*Arizona*Florida*Mississippi*Ohio*Pennsylvania*Vermont*Wisconsin '''Former Bureaus'''

*'''[[Florida WatchdogHawaii Reporter]]''', Hawaii, hawaiireporter.com

*'''[[Texas Watchdog]]'''*'''Vermont Watchdog'''

As of January June 2017: '''Franklin Center'''<ref name="Staffmjs">Franklin CenterDaniel Bice and Mary Spicuzza, [http://franklincenterhqwww.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2017/04/14/lights-out-wisconsin-watchdog/100463852/ Is it lights out for Wisconsin Watchdog?], ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', April 14, 2017.</ref>*[[John Tillman]], Chairman*Chris Krug, President '''Watchdog.org'''<ref>Watchdog.org, [http://aboutwatchdog.org/staff/ Staff], organizational website''Watchdog.org'', accessed January June 2017.</ref>*Will Swaim, Senior Advisor and Contributing Editor*John Bicknell, Executive Editor of Watchdog *Bruce Parker, Managing Editor of Watchdog*Johnny Kampis, National Watchdog Reporter*Ashe Schow, Higher Education – Reporter *Kathy Hoekstra, Watchdog Regulations – Reporter *Matt Kittle, Wisconsin Watchdog – Bureau Chief and Reporter *James Wigderson, Wisconsin Watchdog – Reporter *William Patrick, Florida Watchdog – Reporter *Erin Clark, Florida Watchdog – Reporter *Steve Wilson, Mississippi Watchdog – Reporter *Christian Britschgi, Arizona Watchdog – Reporter *Lou Varricchio, Vermont Watchdog – Bureau Chief and Reporter *Emma Lamberton, Vermont Watchdog – Reporter *Michael Bielawski, Vermont Watchdog – Reporter *Tyler Arnold, Journalism Fellow '''As of June 2017, the Franklin Center staff website is down so it is unclear if the following are still employed:'''

As of September 2013 (No advisory board posted as of January June 2017):<ref>Franklin Center, [http://franklincenterhq.org/invest/advisory-committee/ Advisory Committee], organizational website, accessed September 2013.</ref>