About Report for america
Report for America: Revolutionizing Local Journalism
Report for America is a national service program that aims to address the crisis in local journalism by placing emerging journalists into under-resourced newsrooms across the country. The program was founded in 2017 by Steven Waldman and Charles Sennott, two veteran journalists who recognized the urgent need to support local news organizations struggling to survive in an era of declining revenues and shrinking audiences.
The mission of Report for America is simple yet powerful: to strengthen communities and democracy by providing accurate, reliable, and relevant news coverage of under-covered issues. The program recruits talented young reporters from diverse backgrounds who are passionate about journalism and committed to serving their communities. These reporters are then placed in newsrooms where they work alongside experienced journalists, covering stories that matter most to local residents.
One of the unique features of Report for America is its focus on addressing gaps in coverage that have emerged as traditional news organizations have cut back on staff and resources. The program prioritizes reporting on issues such as poverty, education, healthcare, criminal justice reform, immigration, climate change, and rural life – topics that often go unreported or under-reported due to lack of resources or expertise.
To date, Report for America has placed over 1,000 reporters in more than 200 newsrooms across 49 states plus Puerto Rico. These reporters have produced thousands of stories that have had a real impact on their communities – from exposing corruption and injustice to highlighting innovative solutions to complex problems.
But Report for America is more than just a placement program – it's also a community-building platform that connects journalists with mentors, editors, fellow corps members (as they call themselves), alumni network members (who continue supporting them after their term ends), donors (who fund their salaries) ,and other stakeholders who share their commitment to quality journalism.
The success of Report for America can be attributed not only its innovative model but also its strong partnerships with leading media organizations such as NPR (National Public Radio), PBS NewsHour (Public Broadcasting Service), ProPublica (nonprofit investigative journalism organization) ,and many others. These partnerships provide additional training opportunities for corps members while also amplifying their work through national media outlets.
In addition to placing emerging journalists into local newsrooms across the country ,Report For American has launched several initiatives aimed at strengthening local journalism ecosystem .These include:
- RFA Corps Network: A community-driven platform where current corps members can connect with each other ,share best practices,and access resources.
- RFA Reporting Labs: A multimedia initiative aimed at empowering young people from underserved communities with digital storytelling skills.
- RFA Collaborative Journalism Project :A partnership between multiple new organizations working together on specific projects .
Overall,RFA's impact goes beyond just producing great content; it's about building trust between journalists and communities they serve .By providing accurate information about important issues affecting people's lives,RFA helps foster informed citizens capable making better decisions about how they live,vote,and engage with one another .It’s no wonder why so many people believe this organization will play an important role shaping future American democracy!