Projo Biz Blog

By Andy Smith
Journal staff writer

Jim Hummel, former reporter for WLNE-TV, Channel 6, and The Providence Journal, has formed a non-profit corporation that will present investigative reporting on the Internet. The stories can be accessed at hummelreport.com, starting Oct. 15.

The Web site also will have links to other news sources as well as a database of public documents. The data will be provided by the Ocean State Policy Research Institute, a non-profit organization. Hummel also also formed a partnership with radio station WPRO-AM, which will link his report to the station's Web site.

Hummel said he had been unsuccessful finding work since he left Channel 6 in 2008. "This is a reflection of where media is going these days, which is directly to the Internet," he said. Hummel said John Hazen White Jr., president of Taco, Inc., gave an undisclosed amount of money to the venture.

White declined to say how much he contributed. White said he's interested in anything that wastes taxpayers' money. "Just the fact there's a presence (Hummel) paying attention is always a deterrent for somebody," he said.

 Tags  Jim Hummel John Hazen White Jr Ocean State Policy Research Institute WPRO

---