Report for America is Looking to Fill about 200 Journalism Jobs. Apply Now
Does your hometown have its own local news? Well, according to an article, over 65 million Americans live in counties with only one local newspaper or none at all. With a lack of local news, citizens become less civically engaged, which is why Report for America announced on Dec. 2, 2019 that they will help 250 emerging journalists fill positions at 164 local newsrooms.
According to their site, Report for America is a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities.
Last year, they placed 60 journalists with 40% being minority journalists. Journalists will be placed in local newsrooms across 49 states, including Wisconsin at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, Green Bay Press-Gazette, TODAY’S TMJ4, Wausau Daily Herald and Wisconsin Center for Investigative Reporting.
Report for America applications closed on Jan. 31. (Picture provided by Report for America)
Each newsroom has a specific beat that they want covered that either hasn’t been covered in the past or hasn’t been covered enough. Some of the beats include covering minority communities, health care and some even require Spanish speakers, plus more.
“We see there is a huge threat to local communities when they don’t know what’s going on,” said National Director of Report for America, Kim Klemen about the lack of local news coverage.
According to a press release, Report for America is funding these new positions with more than $5 million in direct support to newsrooms. Report for America will pay for half of the journalist’s salary, but it’s up to the newsroom to pay or raise the rest.
Klemen said their goal is to keep or raise their goal of placing 40% minority journalists around the country.
“We are doing everything that we can to be 40% or better,” Klemen said.
Emerging journalists have until Jan. 31 to apply for a position through Report for America. According to Klemen, Report for America will recommend three to five journalists for each newsroom. Even though Report for America is hoping to place over 200 journalists, it’s ultimately up to each newsroom to decide whether they hire a journalist or not.
For the full list of newsrooms and their beats, click here. To apply to for a position, click here.