For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Marty Fischhoff
248-305-3729
mfischhoff@dptv.org
Report for America to Fund Two Journalist Positions at Detroit Public TV
The highly competitive grants will bolster coverage of early childhood education by One Detroit and water quality issues by Great Lakes Now
DETROIT (December 4, 2019) – Detroit Public TV’s already strong commitment to incisive, impactful local journalism was given an important boost with the announcement today that Report for America has approved $40,000 in funding for two new reporting positions on its One Detroit and Great Lakes Now teams.
Report for America is an acclaimed national program established to place talented, emerging journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities.
“We are honored to have been selected for funding in this national competition,” said Rich Homberg, president and CEO of Detroit Public TV. “It demonstrates the depth, integrity and impact of the work of our journalists in their coverage of public affairs and environmental issues.
“Under the leadership of Ed Moore, our associate vice president of content, their reporting is receiving increased national recognition and, more importantly, having an impact on the communities we serve.
“I can guarantee that we will put this money to good use in the service of the public and journalism.”
The One Detroit reporter will cover early childhood education and crucial policy issues affecting young children in Metro Detroit. The other new hire will be assigned to report for Great Lakes Now on water quality issues.
Both will be situated in the One Detroit offices at the Detroit Historical Museum in Midtown Detroit.
In making this announcement, Report for America said, “This was a highly selective process, so being chosen is a sign that our judges were supremely impressed with the quality of your news organization, your commitment to local journalism and your proposal for how to deploy Report for America journalists.”
One Detroit has developed an award-winning model for community-based, solutions-oriented local journalism in Detroit and Southeast Michigan. At the same time, Detroit Public TV is well-known and highly respected for its children’s programming and increasingly for its work in the community with educators and parents to prepare young children for school and a lifetime of learning.
This additional reporting position will allow One Detroit to report on the many factors – political, economic and social – that have caused Detroit and Michigan to lag the rest of the nation in student readiness and academic performance.
Great Lakes Now is Detroit Public TV’s basin-wide initiative to report on critical issues affecting the world’s largest supply of fresh water. In the aftermath of the Flint water crisis and the emergence of PFAS contamination as a major health risk, coverage of drinking water quality is of urgent importance to the public well-being.
The grants from Report for America’s will be matched by other sources of funding to be raised by Detroit Public TV.
Report for America announced that in the coming year it is fielding 250 emerging journalists in 164 host news organizations to serve local communities across 46 states, including daily and non-daily newspapers, digital-only sites, public radio stations and TV stations.
Recently, Detroit Public TV was selected by NewsMatch – another national program to support local journalism – to participate in its NewsMatch Challenge, which doubles donor contributions to the stations’ news operations.
With these new resources, Detroit Public TV will be even better positioned to cover the issues that matter most to the people of Detroit and Southeast Michigan.
If you want to help DPTV provide the local coverage our community deserves, please consider contributing to our Journalism Fund. Democracy will thank you.
HOW TO APPLY
The deadline for applications is January 31, 2020.
Program information can be found at https://www.reportforamerica.org/application/
Applications:
Early childhood issues: https://www.journalismjobs.com/1657013-detroit-public-television-reporter-detroit-public-television
Questions about the position can be directed to Report for America at https://www.reportforamerica.org/contact-us/.
About Detroit Public Television
Detroit Public Television (DPTV) is Michigan’s only community-licensed public television station, operating entirely independent of any educational institution or governmental entity. Its funding comes from the community it serves. With more than 2 million weekly viewers across its four channels, DPTV is the state’s largest and most watched public television station, as well as having the most diverse public television audience in America. In addition, another 90,000 visit its website dptv.org each week for videos, blogs, photo galleries and other content. DPTV also manages WRCJ 90.9 FM, Detroit’s classical and jazz radio station, which reaches nearly 200,000 listeners each week over the air or on digital devices. DPTV is licensed to the Detroit Educational Television Foundation and governed by a volunteer board of trustees from the local business, civic and cultural communities.
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