History

CommonWealth Beacon is published by the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth, or MassINC, a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting economic inclusion and civic vitality through the provision of unbiased research and journalism and respectful civic dialogue. MassINC conducts policy related research, convenes conversations, conducts public opinion surveys through a for-profit polling subsidiary, and publishes CommonWealth Beacon. 

MassINC was founded in 1996 by a group of civic leaders seeking to provide the public and policy makers with the research, evidence and journalism they need to make informed decisions about public policy. Tripp Jones served as the first CEO of MassINC and Publisher of CommonWealth, which started as a quarterly public policy-focused print magazine. Bruce Mohl served as editor from 2008 until his retirement in 2024, including the transition to an online-only publication with a daily e-newsletter in 2018.

In 2021, we hired Charlie Kravetz as a consultant to work with our staff and board to build a vision, strategy and funding base for a larger, more sustainable and more impactful civic news organization. These efforts culminated in 2023 when CommonWealth magazine transitioned to CommonWealth Beacon with the goal of expanding our coverage of state and local government, public policy, and politics in Massachusetts. Laura Colarusso joined CommonWealth Beacon as editor in November 2024.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 

CommonWealth Beacon embraces a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging practices that enable us to produce journalism that reflects a full and accurate representation of voices and perspectives. Our commitment extends to how we operate as an organization and to the news we publish. We are committed to creating and sustaining a workplace culture that is welcoming to all and enables each staff person to flourish. We believe this approach produces more comprehensive, accurate and relevant journalism that serves the public. 

Our approach is rooted in several key practices: 

• Build an inclusive team: We seek to build a team that reflects the full diversity of our state. This includes recruiting staff members, free lancers, op-ed contributors, Board members, and members for our Editorial Advisory Committee from diverse backgrounds who are reflective of the communities we serve. 

• Foster a positive workplace culture: We are intentional about building a workplace culture with open dialogue and where everyone feels comfortable expressing their ideas. We seek to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed and seen and where staff members can grow professionally and personally.  

• Produce journalism that is sensitive and respectful: We work to ensure that our stories demonstrate sensitivity and respect, avoiding stereotypes and bias. We recognize the history and legacy of racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination and the continued disparities in our society. We strive to put our stories in context. We seek out diverse voices from all impacted communities and across the ideological spectrum.   

• Elevate diverse voices: On our opinion page, we work hard to ensure a full diversity of voices are represented from different communities and points of view.  We provide a platform for new leaders and voices to participate in our civic conversations and seek to create a forum for respectful dialogue and disagreement.  

• Engage in continual learning and improvement: We acknowledge that our DEI journey is ongoing and incomplete, and we remain committed to a culture of learning, transparency, trust, and respect along the way. We offer DEI training and workshops to our staff and encourage regular informal discussions within the newsroom about how to advance our practice and make continuous improvement. We also work hard to learn from our mistakes through honest self-reflection and conversation. 

Awards & Honors