Nonprofit news site hires publisher, CEO

The Fort Worth Report – a nonprofit news website planned for its namesake city – on Thursday announced it has hired a publisher and CEO: Chris Cobler, who most recently was editor and publisher of the Victoria Advocate.

“I am honored and humbled to be a steward of this public trust,” said Cobler in a news release. “I also am deeply grateful to the Burnett Foundation for its belief in this community project and to our board of directors for their devotion to making Fort Worth and Tarrant County an even better place.”

The Burnett Foundation of Fort Worth provided initial funding for a 2021 launch.

In the news release, Cobler said formation of a diverse newsroom and hiring for other staff positions has started. The goal is to have those hires completed by mid-to-late March.

Texas has several nonprofit news sites, including The Texas Tribune, The Rivard Report in San Antonio and the Austin Monitor.