Report for America

Report for America. It is a national service program that places emerging and experienced journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities across the United States. Launched in 2017, the initiative aims to strengthen communities and restore the health of local journalism by addressing news deserts and gaps in coverage. The program is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project and is modeled in part on the structure of AmeriCorps and Teach for America.

History and founding

The organization was co-founded in 2017 by journalist and media advocate Steven Waldman and Charles Sennott, the founder and executive director of The GroundTruth Project. The concept emerged from a 2016 report by the Federal Communications Commission and subsequent work by the Aspen Institute's Communications and Society Program, which highlighted the crisis in local news. Inspired by the service model of Teach for America, the founders sought to create a structured response to the decline of local reporting, which had been accelerated by the collapse of the traditional newspaper business model. Its first cohort of reporters began work in 2018 in a select group of newsrooms.

Mission and model

The primary mission is to replenish the diminishing ranks of local reporters and to correct inequities in news coverage by focusing on topics like education, local government, healthcare, and the environment. The operational model involves a cost-sharing partnership where the program funds a significant portion of a journalist's salary, with the local news organization and local community donors contributing the remainder. Corps members, selected through a competitive application process, are placed for one-year terms with the opportunity for renewal, and they receive extensive training and mentorship. Partners include a wide array of local newspapers, digital-only outlets, and public radio stations such as The Associated Press and NPR member stations.

Impact and reach

Since its launch, the program has grown significantly, placing hundreds of journalists in hundreds of news organizations across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam. Its reporters have produced thousands of stories on critical local issues, from public health in rural Appalachia to policing in cities like Chicago. The initiative has partnered with major industry supporters like the Google News Initiative and the Facebook Journalism Project to scale its efforts. Its work has been recognized with awards from institutions like the Society of Professional Journalists and has been cited as a key innovation in efforts to sustain local news ecosystems.

Funding and partnerships

The organization is funded through a mix of philanthropic grants, corporate partnerships, and individual donations. Major philanthropic supporters have included the Knight Foundation, the Facebook Journalism Project, Google, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Ford Foundation. The unique funding structure for individual reporter positions involves a three-way share between the national program, the local host newsroom, and local donors from the community being served. This model is designed to build local investment in journalism. Strategic partnerships with entities like the American Journalism Project and the Lenfest Institute for Journalism help amplify its reach and resources.

Criticism and challenges

Some criticism has focused on the sustainability of the model, questioning whether temporary placements can address the systemic collapse of local news business models long-term. Concerns have also been raised about the potential for influence by national funders or local donors on editorial independence, though the program has strict guidelines to firewall reporting from funders. The challenge of placing journalists in highly polarized communities and ensuring their safety, especially when covering contentious issues, remains significant. Like the entire local news industry, it must continuously navigate the economic pressures highlighted by the decline of legacy chains like Gannett and McClatchy.

Category:American media organizations Category:Journalism associations based in the United States Category:Organizations established in 2017