Dawnsinger LLC offers a wide range of consulting, editorial management and web site development for print and online clients.
Jon Donley created the company after 30 years in professional journalism, as a reporter, columnist, editor and new media developer. He was the founding editor-in-chief of NOLA.com, the Advance Internet news and entertainment portal affiliated with the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Before moving to the Crescent City in 1997, he was founding editor and manager of the web site affiliated with the San Antonio Express-News. Jon began his career at weekly newspapers in Iowa, then moved to dailies in Texas, including a 14-year stint at the Express-News. After nearly two decades in print journalism – as reporter, columnist, news editor, opinion editor and technical/electronic-reporting liaison – Jon moved full time into new media.
During Hurricane Katrina, Jon covered the storm from the Times-Picayune’s hurricane bunker and worked to keep uninterrupted news coverage online after the loss of the newspaper’s printing and delivery capability. He also directed NOLA’s expansion of forums, blogs and other features to guide search and rescue efforts, reunite scattered hurricane victims, and facilitate grass-roots reporting and communication. Jon was part of the team of journalists awarded the 2006 Pulitzers for public service and breaking news. NOLA.com also received the first Knight Foundation Online Journalism Award for Public Service in 2006, and a 2007 Award of Excellence from the Pictures of the Year International Competition for Best Use of Interactivity in its Katrina Anniversary package.
Jon is recognized by new media industry groups as an authority on community journalism, online community building and techniques for covering breaking news events with mobile, multimedia tools. He’s been a featured speaker at many industry groups, including the Knight Digital Media Center, regional press associations and the Aspen Institute.
Two of the sites he launched – NOLA.com and MySA.com – have the highest market penetration of any newspaper websites in the country (2008), which Jon attributes not only to the strength of the newspapers’ content, but also to aggressive work in enabling the audience to not only passively consume, but also to actively tell its own story.
Jon left NOLA.com in early 2009 to focus full-time on his consulting and contract work through Dawnsinger LLC. He is based out of his homestead in rural Wilson County, Texas, near San Antonio. He balances his work in cutting-edge communications with caring for his small herd of dairy goats.
Other team members
Through his extensive network of new media contacts, former staff members and contractors, Jon creates ad-hoc project teams as needed for individual projects. His network includes some of the rising stars of new media and digital communications.