Voice of OC explained

Voice of OC
Founded Date:	June 2009
Location:	Santa Ana, California
Key People:	Norberto Santana, Jr., Publisher Spencer Custodio, Civic Editor Meg Waters, Development Director Theresa Sears, Involvement Editor Wylie Aitken, Chairman of the Board
Area Served:	Orange County, California, United States
Focus:	Local Investigative Journalism
Homepage:	voiceofoc.org

Voice of OC is a small, local, non-profit, online news agency reporting on local issues covering Orange County, California.^[1]

Its coverages range from topics such as transportation, the environment, social justice, health, public safety, housing, homelessness, politics, to the Ralph M. Brown Act and California Public Records Act issues.

Funding for the Voice of OC is primarily provided through member contributions and grants.^[2]

History

Voice of OC was founded by former Orange County Register investigative reporter Norberto Santana in June 2009 with an initial annual budget of $600,000.^[3] The agency's board of directors was then chaired by Joe Dunn, a former Democratic state senator from Santa Ana, CA.

It started publishing March 31, 2010. Through its first 4 years, its reporters have written 3,500 news stories.

In 2014, the website entered content-sharing partnership with the Orange County Register.^{[4] [5]}

In 2015, Norberto Santana moved from being an editor-in-chief to being the publisher.^[4]

In November 2022, Google selected the Voice of OC as one of its 450 news organizations that will receive funding for Google News Equity Fund, which focuses on small and medium-sized, independent news organizations focusing on underserved audiences. ^[6]

Notable reporting

In 2021, the agency covered an oil spill in Huntington Beach, CA in much detail.^[7]

The news agency's reporting on a property swap involving Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido prompted an investigation by the city attorney into the issue.^[8] The mayor voted for a $1.4-million city contract with an auto parts firm, NAPA Orange County, just over a year after he bought a home from the firm's owner for $230,000 less than fair market value.^[9]

In February 2023, a day after the news agency reported on a state investigation into CalOptima's hiring and pay practices including controversially large salary hikes, CalOptima chair Andrew Do abruptly resigned as chair.^[10]

Awards

The Voice of OC has received numerous journalistic awards including:

• In 2021, Voice of OC reporter Kristina Garcia won third place for the Best Arts & Culture Story in the 2021 Orange County Press Club Awards. ^[11]
• In 2021, Voice of OC photographer Julie Leopo was selected by Latino Journalists of California as one of the most influential Latina journalists across the state^[12]
• In 2021, the Voice of OC won 18 awards in the California News Publishers Association awards contest.^[13]
• In 2021, Lion Publishers awarded Voice of OC the Publisher of the Year noting that the "Voice of OC is one of the standard bearers of nonprofit journalism for good reason."^[14]
• In April 2022, publisher and editor-in-chief Norberto Santana Jr. was selected the winner of the 2022 Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership.^[15]
• In 2022, Voice of OC was a recipient of the 2022 Google News Equity Fund

Board members^[16]

• Wylie Aitken, an Orange County-based trial attorney and philanthropist who is a past president of the California Trial Lawyers Association and member of the California Arts Council
• Barbara Venezia, a journalist (Daily Pilot, Orange County Register), author, producer and podcast host
• Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Irvine School of Law
• Colleen Clark, a finance professional with more than 25 years’ experience
• Norberto Santana, Jr., publisher of Voice of OC

External links

• Voice of OC home page
• Columbia Journalism Review article on Voice of OC's coverage
• LA Times article on the creation of the Voice of OC

Notes and References

1. Web site: Feb 21, 2023. The cost of Angels in the outfield. Columbia Journalism Review.
2. Book: Bill Birnbauer, Bill. 2018. The Rise of NonProfit Investigative Journalism in the United States. Routledge . 978-1-351-05188-0 . February 21, 2023. en-US.
3. Web site: Anton. Mike. Sep 15, 2009. Feb 21, 2023. Nonprofit website to boost O.C. watchdog journalism. Los Angeles Times.
4. Web site: Miller. Michael. May 16, 2016. Feb 21, 2023. Q&A: Norberto Santana Jr.. Los Angeles Times.
5. Web site: Apr 21, 2014. Feb 21, 2023. Register to partner with Voice of OC. Orange County Register.
6. Web site: Eberechukwu. Etike. Nov 16, 2022. 450 news organisations selected as recipients of Google News Equity Fund. February 21, 2023. Tech Next 24. en-US.
7. Web site: Feb 21, 2023. 2021 Oil Spill. Voice of OC .
8. Web site: January 15, 2014. Santa Ana Council Meets Privately on Pulido Property Swap . 8 January 2014 . Voice of OC .
9. Web site: January 15, 2014. Santa Ana Mayor's Property Swap Raises Questions . 14 November 2013 . Voice of OC .
10. Web site: Gerda. Nick. Feb 3, 2023. Top Official Resigns From OC's Health Plan for the Poor Following Revelations of State Probe. February 21, 2023. Voice of OC. en-US.
11. Web site: Feb 21, 2023. Kristina Garcia. Los Angeles Times.
12. Web site: Feb 21, 2023. CCNMA Most Influential Latina Journalists in California 2021.
13. Web site: Feb 21, 2023. Quick. Sonya. Jun 24, 2021. Voice of OC Honored with 18 Awards When Competing Against California's Top News Agencies. Voice of OC.
14. Web site: Feb 21, 2023. Meet the Winners of the 2021 LION Publishers Local Journalism Awards. 17 November 2021 . Lion Publishers.
15. Web site: Apr 13, 2022. Feb 21, 2023. News Leaders Association 2022 News Leader of the Year Award and Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership Winners. Lion Publishers.
16. Web site: Voice of OC Board of Directors. 2018-08-09.