Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Charleston Gazette-Mail and two other regional news organizations are receiving foundational support to put more reporters in the field.
(Ground Truth photo by Ben Brody)
With backing from the Galloway Family Foundation and as part of The GroundTruth Project’s new “Report for America” initiative, the Gazette-Mail, West Virginia Public Broadcasting and the Herald-Leader in Lexington, Kentucky, will each award year-long reporting fellowships to an emerging journalist.
The GroundTruth Project will assist the three news organizations to coordinate the initiative.
The year-long project, which starts in January, is part of GroundTruth’s pilot for “Report for America,” a public service program for journalists to be embedded in local community news organizations. GroundTruth is launching the RFA project in partnership with Google News Lab.
The Galloway Family Foundation funds investigative and in-depth journalism fellowships in the U.S. and around the world.
GroundTruth founder and CEO Charles Sennott, said, “We’re grateful to the Galloway Family Foundation and the three news organizations for making this exciting collaboration a possibility. It is a strong way for us to launch Report for America and its mission to invite talented, emerging journalists to answer a call to service by reporting in communities that are struggling and not being heard from.”
The Lexington newspaper will base its new reporter in Pikeville, Kentucky, re-establishing a Herald-Leader bureau there for the first time since 2011. WVPB and the Gazette-Mail will focus on coalfield counties and are still determining the best place to base their coverage.
“We appreciate The GroundTruth Project’s mission and are thankful that the Galloway Family Foundation recognizes the value of strong journalism for Appalachia,” said Gazette-Mail Executive Editor Rob Byers. “In a time of dwindling newsroom resources, we look forward to adding an emerging journalist to the mix, better allowing us to continue the type of reporting our readers have come to expect.”
The application process to be considered for one of the fellowships is now open. Journalists may apply here.
According to GroundTruth, these paid positions are open to anyone who wants to be a local journalist — and has the skills and character to make an immediate difference.
This program targets emerging journalists, but is not restrictive of age. Candidates may be right out of school, have a few years of journalism experience or have experience in related fields that lend themselves to strong reporting.
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