Talk:Jon Donley

Placing unreferenced text here. -- Diane Farsetta 11:23, 19 May 2009 (EDT)

Jon Donley a 30-year veteran journalist, is best-known as founding editor of NOLA.com and MardiGras.com, New Orleans web sites affiliated with Advance Internet and the Times-Picayune of New Orleans. NOLA.com came to prominence during Hurricane Katrina, when Donley's blogs - Bourbon Street Journal and NOLA View - were converted to live coverage of the disaster, especially focusing on a significant amount of citizen journalism. These blogs, as well as a rapidly expanded body of hyperlocal forums - in which evacuees and victims could post pleas for help, damage reports and other vital information - were crediting with rescuing and reuniting thousands of regional victims of the storm. At its peak, NOLA.com drew more than 30 million page views a day. Donley was part of the team awarded the 2006 Pulitzers for Public Service and Breaking News, and also won the first-ever Knight Foundation Public Service Award for service during Katrina. He was also a GQ Man of the Year in 2006, one of six New Orleans-area residents showcased as "Heroes of Katrina."

MardiGras.com, a portal focused on regional Carnival celebration, drew up to 25 million pages views a day during its seasonal peak under Donley's management. A recognized authority on Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Donley also operates the Mardi Gras FAQ site, focused on providing information to teachers and students reporting on the annual celebration.

Before moving to New Orleans, Donley founded the web site of the San Antonio Express-News, now known as MySanAntonio.com. This capped a long career as editor, reporter, columnist and technical liaison at a number of newspapers, including the Express-News, the San Angelo Standard Times and several Iowa community papers.

Donley is a media consultant and commercial writer, under his company, Dawnsinger LLC.