The Houston Headliner is the only publication working to hold local news media and journalists in Houston accountable to the principles of truth, fairness, and transparency. Our focus is to challenge establishment players with outsized influence in H-town.

News organizations - particularly in large media markets like ours - endure as useful and powerful institutions.

They provide lifesaving information during disasters.

They inform voters about where candidates stand on important issues.

They entertain us with news about sports and culture.

Perhaps most importantly, they retain the ability to hold powerful people accountable.

But who holds Houston’s news media accountable?

Too often, Houston’s media ecosystem fails to meet the basic standards news consumers should expect. Principles like fairness, truth, and transparency are lost in a drive to compete for clicks, advertising dollars, or in service to a political agenda sheathed as “journalism.” Establishment figures, out of step with Houston’s population are given outsized influence and agenda-setting power.

Our mission is to expose local journalists, media organizations, and power brokers who fail to meet the basic principles of truth, fairness, and transparency, and contribute to the erosion of trust between news media and communities they serve.

Starting in the 60’s, major news organizations held themselves accountable by hiring independent ombudsmen. Their job - which often operated outside the chain of command of senior news leadership - was to advocate for readers and hold their organization accountable from the inside. Those positions are extinct - if they ever existed at all - in local markets like ours.

We’re here to fill that gap.

We welcome tips or ideas for content. We’ll also keep you anonymous if desired. Just email us at HoustonHeadliner at gmail dot com.

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