It seems that as newspapers continue to shed staff in response to the new media realities they’ve been forced to confront, the reporters they’re casting away are finding a leaner, meaner venue in which to ply their craft. Non-profit websites that employ professional journalists to focus on investigating and breaking local news are popping up all across the country – and causing more than a few headaches for those who sometimes end up in their crosshairs.

A recent New York Times article examines the attention that one such site is already attracting from local audiences – including the traditional media outlets that used to dominate investigative journalism but are now being forced to play catch-up.

VoiceofSanDiego.org has already uncovered municipal government malfeasance, misleading crime statistics, and a number of other local scandals with great success. In fact, the site is attracting so much attention that it lead Dean Nelson, a journalism professor at San Diego’s Point Loma Nazarene University, to say “This is the future of journalism.”

As major newspapers and local broadcasters begin to find a niche in community reporting rather than national news, the potential for these Websites – which can now be found in places like Seattle, St. Louis, and Minnesota – to do major damage to a brand or reputation is palpable. In response, it’s time for businesses to rethink how they’re relating to these new media pioneers who could one day land them in hot water.

Monitoring these sites for mentions of your brand is only the beginning. You have to know these reporters – and they are professionals, many being veterans of major news operations – before you need them. Develop relationships with those that cover your industry or community. Invite them to news conferences. Put them on your media lists. Offer them a scoop from time to time.

Taking these steps will make it far easier to deal with this new breed of watchdogs should you ever become the subject of their local exposés. Remember, the fact that their stories aren’t on the front pages each morning doesn’t mean that no one is listening. In fact, in the Information Age, it could mean just the opposite.