The initiative is called Press Forward, and its initial funders include major philanthropic institutions like the Ford Foundation, the Knight Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The goal of the initiative is to support local journalism at an unprecedented level to “re-center local news as a force for community cohesion; support new models and solutions that are ready to scale; and close longstanding inequities in journalism coverage and practice.”
Press Forward is an attempt to reverse the significant decline in local news coverage in many communities around the country which organizers believe is linked to “an increasingly divided America and weakening trust in institutions.” The initiative is also a response to the reality that since 2005, approximately 2,200 local newspapers have closed, resulting in 20 percent of Americans living in “news deserts” with little to no reliable coverage of local news. In announcing the program, MacArthur Foundation president, John Palfrey, emphasized the interconnectedness of a healthy media system to addressing a broad range of community problems stating, “The philanthropic sector recognizes the need to strengthen American democracy and is beginning to see that progress on every other issue, from education and healthcare to criminal justice reform and climate change, is dependent on the public’s understanding of the facts.”
Press Forward is an attempt to reverse the significant decline in local news coverage in many communities around the country which organizers believe is linked to “an increasingly divided America and weakening trust in institutions.”
I couldn’t agree more and believe Press Forward is a pivotal step in the right direction.
In response to the decline in the local news ecosystem, and consistent with public media’s foundational belief that a well-informed public is crucial for the health of our democracy and strength of our communities, public radio has taken important steps to expand its commitment to local news coverage. Here at JPR we have quadrupled the size of our local reporting staff since 2013 and more than doubled the size of our newsroom to support these journalists. In January, we welcome the newest addition to our newsroom when Justin Higginbottom joins us as a regional reporter. Justin has spent the past year reporting from Thailand, India and Myanmar where he covered the Myanmar civil war – he’s also been a contributor to NPR, CNBC, The New Republic, and Deutsche Welle (Germany’s public media organization).
In addition to expanding local news coverage, public radio stations have become hubs for journalistic innovation and civic engagement by creating opportunities for community-based problem solving while also providing a growing array of digital journalism products including apps, digital news sites, email newsletters, social media content and podcasts. These efforts are designed to expand access to local news to younger audiences who consume news mostly on digital platforms.
I believe public media outlets around the country, and JPR here at home, are ideally positioned to help increase both the breadth and depth of local journalism by supporting dynamic local news ecosystems in the communities we serve, fostering collaboration, coordinating coverage, and connecting other local newsrooms. With an existing network of 3,200 journalists rooted in communities across all 50 states, public media offers a strong framework to build upon as philanthropists, community organizations and others reimagine how people across America receive local news.
We look forward to the work ahead and are deeply grateful for the ongoing support listeners like you provide year-in and year-out to make it possible.
