Hull poised to sell RI’s Future blog

Progressive activist Brian Hull plans to sell the Rhode Island’s Future blog — a step, he hopes, that will end a series of ownership changes that have marked the site since founder Matt Jerzyk sold it in 2008.

Hull says his decision was motivated by how he’ll be starting grad school later this year at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He says he’s slated to meet tomorrow with a group of progressive activists interested in buying the blog, and hopes to implement the sale by July 16. Here’s how Hull elaborates on his hopes for RI’s Future:

What I’m looking at is forming a 7 or 9 member board of directors who will be responsible for the majority of content as well as raising revenue for the blog, switching to non-profit status in order to facilitate donations from foundations and individuals, hiring a full-time editor (paid position) who will be the public face of the blog and who will have some experience in Rhode Island politics and activism, and cultivating a forward-looking strategy on being a heavy-hitting news source in the state rivaling the ProJo.  The ultimate goal is to professionalize the blog and create a sustainable long-term progressive news source which doesn’t all fall on the shoulders of a single person (the workload is far too large for a single person).

Hull, who says he plans to remain on the blog’s board, declined to discuss a possible sale price. He says the blog attracts between 20,000 and 40,000 unique visitors, and between 100,000 and 200,000 page views, per month.

Hull bought the blog in August 2009 from union activist Patrick Crowley, who had bought it from Jerzyk in 2008.