Report for America adds 70 newsrooms, opens applications for more reporters

NEW YORK, Dec. 8, 2021- Report for America today announced the selection of nearly 70 new host newsroom partners, while opening applications for approximately 150 new reporting corps positions, to help the national service program continue its growth, replace program graduates, and further efforts to reverse the collapse of local journalism.

Information about how journalists can apply to be members of the reporting corps can be found here.

The newly-selected newsrooms, along with those renewing their partnership, will expand Report for America’s corps size to 325 including nearly 270 newsrooms across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, in 2022. Among them are:

KDLL Public Radio: Effects of state budget policies on rural communities in Alaska ● Texas Monthly: Education in Texas
Cedar Rapids Gazette: Flooding and its effects in Iowa
The Institute for Public Service Reporting at the University of Memphis: Civil rights cold cases in Tennessee
WSHU Public Radio: Indigenous nations in Connecticut and Long Island, N.Y. ● Spectrum News 1: Farming and food production in upstate New York ● NonDoc Media: Government accountability in Edmond, Oklahoma
El Tecolote: Latino healthcare in San Francisco
Indianapolis Recorder: The role of Black churches
Georgia Public Broadcasting: Rural healthcare in the “Stroke Belt”
Outlier Media: Detroit City Hall
NJ Spotlight News: Mental health issues in rural New Jersey

The selections were made mostly on the basis of which newsrooms defined the most compelling gaps in coverage and plans to deploy corps members well. Based on feedback from the field:

Report for America is expanding into more rural communities, with more than 40 new positions available, to reach areas hardest-hit by newsroom closures
40 of the total beats are focused on education, with 18 in the new group ● The program looks to fill two dozen Spanish-speaking positions, helping newsrooms reach the growing Latino population in their communities
There’s increased demand for coverage of the environment, with 31 new beats open ● Many of the beats—nearly 40%— will cover communities of color, meeting a continued demand from newsrooms to provide more equitable coverage

“Yes, local news is in crisis—but this batch of newsrooms also fills us with tremendous hope,” said Steven Waldman, president and co-founder of Report for America. “Newsrooms across the country are pushing to cover essential local beats like schools and rural areas, at the same time they try to better represent all of the people in their communities.”

Those chosen include daily and weekly newspapers, digital-only news outlets, radio and television stations. They all offer exciting opportunities for prospective corps members, to include dozens of open beats. Among them are increased broadcast and multi-media opportunities through partnerships like Spectrum News. Additionally, Report for America is seeking photojournalists for CatchLight’s Local Visual Desk in California.

Report for America has also partnered with the University of Missouri School of Journalism and ten host newsrooms to collaborate on environmental coverage as part of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk.

Report for America, which is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, is a two-year program (with an option for three years) that delivers a wide-range of benefits to its corps members. Beyond paying up to half of the journalists’ salaries, it provides ongoing training and mentorship by leading journalists, peer networking, and memberships to select professional organizations. To help connect corps members to the community, they are required to do a service project, which often includes engaging middle or high school students in journalism related activities.

Applications are being accepted until Jan. 31; however, those who apply before Dec. 31 will receive early consideration. Corps members will be selected from a highly-competitive, national competition. Last year, more than 1,800 applications were received. Those hired become employees of their respective newsrooms and will begin their employment June 1, 2022.

“Report for America provides a unique opportunity for journalists to pursue meaningful, local beat reporting that sadly is missing from many of today’s newsrooms,” said Earl Johnson, director of admissions at Report for America. “Beyond talented reporters and photojournalists, we are looking for a diversity of individuals who see journalism as a calling, who want to make a difference within their communities.”

Report for America prioritizes a diverse corps and is working with a number of professional organizations and college journalism programs to help ensure that newsrooms reflect the audiences they serve, added Johnson.

Report for America is supported in its efforts by a number of philanthropic leaders, including the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Meta Journalism Project, Natasha and Dirk Ziff, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, the Joyce Foundation, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, Microsoft, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, SpringPoint Partners, the Walton Family Foundation in partnership with the University of Missouri School of Journalism, the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Henry L. Kimelman Foundation, the Tow Foundation, and the Google News Initiative.

“Make no mistake, the greatest threat to democracy is the collapse of local news,” said Charles Sennott, GroundTruth chief executive officer and co-founder of Report for America. “We are excited to welcome these newsrooms and look forward to empowering them to meet the growing information needs of the communities they serve.”

To learn more about Report for America, visit www.reportforamerica.org.

About Report for America

Report for America is a national service program that places talented emerging journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered topics and communities. Launched in 2017, Report for America is creating a new, sustainable system that provides Americans with the information they need to improve their communities, hold powerful institutions accountable, and rebuild trust in the media. Report for America is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, an award-winning nonprofit journalism organization with an established track record of training and supporting teams of emerging journalists around the world, including the recent launch of Report for the World in partnership with local newsrooms in India, Nigeria and Brazil.

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Report for America’s newly-selected host newsroom partners for 2022

State Newsroom Beat

AK KDLL Effects of state budget policies on rural communities in Alaska KRBD Rainbird Community

Radio Native and Asian American communities in Ketchikan

AL WKRG News 5 George and Greene counties in eastern Mississippi AR KUAF 91.3 FM Booming growth and its effects on northwest Arkansas CA Bay City News Foundation The city of Stockton

CA Bay City News Foundation Photojournalism that captures the city of Stockton CA El Tecolote Latino healthcare in San Francisco CA El Tímpano Low-wage jobs in the Oakland area North State Public Radio

(NSPR) Wildfires and their aftermath in Chico

CA The Sacramento Observer Data reporting on health and criminal justice inequities Environmental and health reporting in Bakersfield and Kern

CA Valley Public Radio (KVPR)

County

CO KOA Radio Housing challenges in Denver

CT WSHU Public Radio Indigenous nations in Connecticut and Long Island, N.Y. DC Washington City Paper The D.C. housing crisis

Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA

Growth and its environmental effects on Maryland’s eastern shore

FL Sarasota Herald-Tribune Courts

FL WJCT Low income communities in Jacksonville FL WUSF Public Media Living paycheck to paycheck in Tampa GA Georgia Public Broadcasting Rural healthcare in the “Stroke Belt.” GA The Current Criminal justice in coastal Georgia GA WABE 90.1 Atlanta’s Southside

Dubuque Telegraph Herald / TH

Media Poverty in Dubuque

IA The Cedar Rapids Gazette Flooding and its effects (Mississippi River Basin Project) Indianapolis Recorder

Newspaper The role of the city’s Black churches

Community reporting in outlying counties around Bowling

KY Bowling Green Daily News

Green

KY The Courier-Journal KY WKMS-FM

LA The Lens

Pesticide runoff and climate change (Mississippi River Basin Project)

Rural communities in Western Kentucky, Southern IL and Northwest TN

Storm surges, hurricanes, wetlands (Mississippi River Basin Project)

ME Bangor Daily News Environmental trends and how they impact Mainers Interlochen Public Radio /

Traverse City Record-Eagle Rural northern Michigan

MI Outlier Media Detroit City Hall

MI WCMU Public Radio Environmental concerns in rural Michigan MN Star Tribune Land use, water and wildlife (Mississippi River Basin Project) MO Harvest Public Media Air and water quality (Mississippi River Basin Project) MO The Missouri Independent Holes in the state’s social safety net MS The Commercial Dispatch Economic and workforce issues in rural Mississippi NC Asheville Watchdog Asheville’s reparations plan

NC Enlace Latino NC State and local elections in North Carolina Watchdog reporting on Wake County schools, especially in

NC The Triangle Tribune

relation to students of color

ND Tioga Tribune Rural communities in northwest North Dakota Portraits of Nebraskans, especially rural areas and residents of

NE Nebraska Public Media

color

NJ NJ Spotlight News Mental health issues, especially affecting rural New Jerseyans NJ NJ Spotlight News Economic and racial disparities

NY North Country Public Radio Rural Adirondack communities

NY Spectrum Networks Farming and food production in upstate NY OH Spectrum Networks The future of community life in Ohio

OH The Land Economic development in Cleveland OH WOUB Public Media Childhood poverty in southeast Ohio OK NonDoc Media Government accountability in Edmond OR The Oregonian/OregonLive Early childhood education

OR Underscore.news Rural and urban Indigenous communities around Portland PA Spotlight PA Rural issues in Centre County

PA WHYY Gun violence in Philadelphia: causes and solutions RI ecoRI News Environmental issues in rural areas

The Mitchell Republic/Forum

News Service Rural issues and the South Dakota Legislature Environmental impacts on local communities of color

TN Daily Memphian

Institute for Public Service

Reporting at the University of

(Mississippi River Basin Project)

Memphis Civil rights cold cases in Tennessee

TX Community Impact Newspaper Community reporting in Harris County TX Community Impact Newspaper Texas Legislature and its hyperlocal effects on communities TX Dallas Free Press Government accountability in South and West Dallas TX Fort Worth Report Winners and losers in Fort Worth’s growth juggernaut TX Texas Monthly The state of education in Texas

TX Texas Tribune Community reporting in the Texas Panhandle USVI The Virgin Islands Daily News Corruption and injustice in the tax system VT Seven Days Challenges and opportunities in Vermont’s small towns WA Yakima Herald-Republic Rural healthcare in Yakima County WA Yakima Herald-Republic Economic and educational issues in the Latino community WI The Post-Crescent Childcare crisis in Wisconsin

Full list of Report for America open newsroom positions for 2022 State Newsroom Beat

Anchorage Daily News / adn.com

Alaska’s congressional delegation, and the federal government’s impact on the state

AK KDLL Effects of state budget policies on rural communities in Alaska KRBD Rainbird Community

Radio Native and Asian American communities in Ketchikan

AL AL.com Statehouse coverage focusing on gender and politics AL WKRG News 5 George and Greene counties in eastern Mississippi AR KUAF 91.3 FM Booming growth and its effects on northwest Arkansas AZ The Arizona Republic Rural life in northern Arizona

AZ The Arizona Republic Rural communities in southern Arizona

AZ TucsonSentinel.com Food, music, religion and the full cultural scene in Tucson CA Bay City News Foundation The city of Stockton

CA Bay City News Foundation Photojournalism that captures the city of Stockton CA Berkeleyside The effect of climate change on regional transportation CA Berkeleyside Visual journalism of Berkeley

Environmental and health effects of the area’s booming logistics

CA Black Voice News

industry

CA Black Voice News Photojournalism: criminal justice CA El Tecolote Latino healthcare in San Francisco CA El Tímpano Low-wage jobs in the Oakland area inewsource (Investigative

Newsource) San Diego schools, especially focused on Hispanic families

CA Mission Local The gig economy, and low-paid tech workers North State Public Radio

(NSPR) Wildfires and their aftermath in Chico

CA San José Spotlight K-12 schools

CA The Mendocino Voice Mendocino County government

CA The Sacramento Observer Data reporting on health and criminal justice inequities CA Valley Public Radio (KVPR) Environmental and health reporting in Bakersfield and Kern County CA Voice of OC Local government in north Orange County CO KOA Radio Housing challenges in Denver

CO Ouray County Plaindealer Ouray County government

CT Connecticut Mirror Connecticut’s education gap, and ways to close it CT New Haven Independent Housing court

CT WSHU Public Radio Indigenous nations in Connecticut and Long Island, N.Y. DC The Washington Informer The effects of climate change in Washington, D.C. DC Washington City Paper The D.C. housing crisis

Independent Newsmedia

Inc. USA Growth and its environmental effects on Maryland’s eastern shore

FL Sarasota Herald-Tribune Courts

FL WJCT Low income communities in Jacksonville FL WUSF Public Media Living paycheck to paycheck in Tampa FL Spectrum Networks Orlando’s public healthcare system

Religious life in Athens, and its interplay with politics, culture,

GA Athens Banner-Herald Georgia Public

business, health care and even sports

Broadcasting Rural healthcare in the “Stroke Belt.”

The Atlanta

Journal-Constitution Long-term effects of the pandemic for Georgia

GA The Atlanta Voice Economic challenges of Black-owned businesses GA The Current Criminal justice in coastal Georgia GA WABE 90.1 Atlanta’s Southside

Dubuque Telegraph Herald

/ TH Media Poverty in Dubuque

IA The Cedar Rapids Gazette Flooding and its effects (Mississippi River Basin Project) ID Boise State Public Radio Idaho’s growing Latino population

IL Block Club Chicago Hyperlocal reporting in Chicago’s South Side neighborhoods IL Chicago Sun-Times Neighborhood reporting in Chicago’s South and West Sides

Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting

Northern Public Radio –

Environmental impact of Iowa fertilizer (Mississippi River Basin Project)

WNIJ Latino communities in DeKalb

Northern Public Radio –

WNIJ Drinking water quality (Mississippi River Basin Project)

IL The Daily Herald Effects of climate change on Chicago’s suburbs Indianapolis Recorder

Newspaper The role of the city’s Black churches

IN The Indianapolis Star Community college, universities and other higher education issues KY Bowling Green Daily News Community reporting in outlying counties around Bowling Green KY The Courier-Journal Pesticide runoff and climate change (Mississippi River Basin Project) Rural communities in Western Kentucky, Southern IL and Northwest

KY WKMS-FM

LA The Lens Storm surges, hurricanes, wetlands (Mississippi River Basin Project) The AFRO American

Newspaper Statehouse coverage of particular interest to communities of color Impact of the environment and climate change on Baltimore and

MD WYPR 88.1 FM

surrounding Maryland cities

ME Bangor Daily News Environmental trends and how they impact Mainers. MI Detroit Free Press Foster care and juvenile justice in Michigan MI Flint Beat Flint community coverage by a photojournalist

Interlochen Public

Radio/Traverse City

Record-Eagle Rural northern Michigan

MI Michigan Chronicle Community impacts of Detroit’s economic-mobility programs MI Outlier Media Detroit City Hall

MS The Commercial Dispatch Economic and workforce issues in rural Mississippi MT Bozeman Daily Chronicle The future of agriculture

NC Asheville Watchdog Asheville’s reparations plan

NC Enlace Latino NC State and local elections in North Carolina Watchdog reporting on Wake County schools, especially in relation

NC The Triangle Tribune

to students of color

NC WFDD Education in the Piedmont and High Country parts of the state ND Tioga Tribune Rural communities in northwest North Dakota NE Nebraska Public Media Portraits of Nebraskans, especially rural areas and residents of color The “two New Hampshires” project about struggling middle &

NH Concord Monitor

working class residents

NJ NJ Spotlight News Mental health issues, especially affecting rural New Jerseyans NJ NJ Spotlight News Economic and racial disparities

NM New Mexico In Depth Inc. Tribal communities and urban Native Americans NV KUNR Public Radio K-12 schools in Reno

NY Documented Immigrant labor in New York City

NY North Country Public Radio Rural Adirondack communities

NY THE CITY (City Report Inc) State agencies and their impact on New York City NY The Haitian Times Video storytelling of the Haitian community in New York City The New York Amsterdam

News Public safety in communities of color

The affordability gap in Riverdale’s residential and commercial real

NY The Riverdale Press

estate

NY Spectrum Networks Farming and food production in upstate NY OH Richland Source Community reporting in Ashland County OH The Land Economic development in Cleveland OH WOUB Public Media Childhood poverty in southeast Ohio OH Spectrum Networks The future of community life in Ohio OK KOSU Rural Oklahoma water issues OK NonDoc Media Government accountability in Edmond Herald and News (Klamath

Falls) Housing and economic development

OR The Oregonian/OregonLive Early childhood education

OR Underscore.news Rural and urban Indigenous communities around Portland PA PublicSource, Inc. Effects of climate change in southwest Pennsylvania PA Spotlight PA Rural issues in Centre County

PA WHYY Gun violence in Philadelphia: causes and solutions Centro de Periodismo

Investigativo Government preparedness around climate change

RI ecoRI News Environmental issues in rural areas

The Mitchell

Republic/Forum News

Service Rural issues and the South Dakota Legislature Environmental impacts on local communities of color (Mississippi

TN Daily Memphian

Institute for Public Service Reporting at the University

River Basin Project)

of Memphis Civil rights cold cases in Tennessee

TN MLK50 Public policy and its effects in Memphis and Shelby County Community Impact

Newspaper Community reporting in Harris County

Community Impact

Newspaper Texas Legislature and its hyperlocal effects on communities

TX Dallas Free Press Government accountability in South and West Dallas TX El Paso Matters Poor health in El Paso/Editing

TX Fort Worth Report Winners and losers in Fort Worth’s growth juggernaut TX Houston Defender Network Politics in Houston

KERA-FM, North Texas

Broadcasting The effects of rapid development in Collin County

TX San Antonio Express-News Fast-growing suburbs

TX Texas Monthly The state of education in Texas TX Texas Tribune Community reporting in the Texas Panhandle TX Victoria Advocate The local energy industry TX Victoria Advocate Community coverage by a photojournalist The Virgin Islands Daily

USVI

News Corruption and injustice in the tax system

UT The Salt Lake Tribune Video storytelling

UT The Salt Lake Tribune Utah’s tech sector and other business coverage VT Seven Days Challenges and opportunities in Vermont’s small towns The Daily Herald (Everett,

Wa.) K-12 schools in Everett

WA The Spokesman-Review Rural areas in Eastern Washington State WA Yakima Herald-Republic Rural healthcare in Yakima County

WA Yakima Herald-Republic Economic and educational issues in the Latino community WI Green Bay Press-Gazette Green Bay schools

Wisconsin environmental challenges (Mississippi River Basin

WI Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Project)

WI The Post-Crescent Childcare crisis in Wisconsin

Water quality, flooding, storm intensity (Mississippi River Basin

WI Wisconsin Watch

Project)

WI Wisconsin Watch Wisconsin statehouse WV 100 Days in Appalachia Religion in Appalachia The Associated Press Statehouse coverage (multiple states)

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