Anyone with an interest in public affairs knows the media overload that can come from keeping up with the doings of government in New Jersey. Even within our relatively small state there are literally dozens of media outlets vying for our attention: the newspapers, networks, cable news channels and websites, plus a small army of consultants, associations, academic research centers and public policy think tanks out their just waiting to clog our email inboxes, fax machines and mail boxes. So the big question is why would anyone need one more outlet, a public issues magazine like the one you now hold?

It offers the ability to step back and view the issues of the day from a distance, a distance of time and emotion. That is what New Jersey Reporter is for. Once the news and its immediate implications have washed over you and then receded, New Jersey Reporter steps in with an intelligent, often provocative take on the subject. And with the mainstream news media's never-ending need to replenish its 'content' with something new, New Jersey Reporter will revisit policy problems that may have made a splash, but never achieved any consensus or resolution before being washed away in the wave of 'new' news.

We provide a mix of independent, nonpartisan insight, analytical research, and in-depth reporting, leavened with the occasional wry look at the
puffed up institution or individual whose balloon we believe needs a little pricking.

New Jersey Reporter digs up those important studies that somehow got lost in the day-to-day babble of the regular news cycle, and we counter political news fatigue by examining government policies from interesting perspectivesÑgiving voice to contrarian views and presenting citizen perspectives that are so often lost as favored policies steamroll along.

Here at New Jersey Reporter we seek to make public policy in New Jersey vivid, interesting, and yes even entertaining. Serious study of the public arena is important, of course, but humor can be a great tonic too, and we continue to proudly showcase New Jersey's talented stable of political cartoonists on our pages.

On these pages we want to showcase the diversity of this state, not just diversity of opinion but diversity of people and the communities they inhabit. To this end New Jersey Reporter seeks to offer an arresting photographic record of our state which strives to bring the ÒfeelÓof communities to our pages, as well as capture some of the personality of both our leaders and common citizens.

In doing all this we seek to make the connection between an informed and interested public, and public officials who must be accountable to them, which is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy, here in New Jersey and anywhere else.

New Jersey Reporter is proud to be that most old fashioned of old media: a well crafted and visually appealing magazine that you will enjoy now, and continue to enjoy and learn from in the future. Here we take special pride in the fact that back issues of

New Jersey Reporter continue to be requested and read months, even years after publication, a testament to our thorough examination of topics that never
become dated. New Jersey Reporter seeks to present independent and innovative solutions to the complex problems of government; to engage and inspire New Jersey's citizens whose improved quality of life is the ultimate goal and responsibility of government; and to 'tell the truth' about the problems that can mar the effectiveness of government. As long as we continue to do so we think no matter how busy the media landscape becomes in this state, there will always be an important place for us. We hope you do too.