Flint, MI–Flint Beat is expanding their photographic coverage of Flint, gaining another photojournalist as part of a continuing partnership with Report for America.
“We are excited to continue our relationship with Report for America,” said Jiquanda Johnson, Flint Beat’s founder and publisher. “In the past, through RFA we have been able to expand our coverage including adding an economic development reporter and a photojournalist. With this new opportunity we will be expanding our visual journalism team next year, including continuing the reporting that we are known for, but adding more video storytelling for the Flint area.”
Applications for the new position are being accepted through Jan. 31. Applicants who apply by Dec. 31 will receive early consideration. Those interested can apply here.
The selected candidate will begin their employment June 1.
Report for America selects newsrooms based on which have most compelling gaps in coverage in their community and the newsroom’s plan to deploy the corps members well.
“Yes, local news is in crisis–but this batch of newsrooms also fills us with tremendous hope,” said Steven Waldman, president and co-founder of Report for America. “Newsrooms across the country are pushing to cover essential local beats like schools and rural areas, at the same time they try to better represent all of the people in their communities.
Nearly 40% of the new positions announced by Report for America this month are beats covering communities of color.
Report for America is a two-year program (with an option for a third year) started by The GroundTruth Project to fill gaps in local news.
The program pays up to half of the journalists’ salaries and provides ongoing training and mentorship, peer networking, and memberships to various professional organizations.
Corps members are required to do a service project to help them connect to the communities they cover, which often includes engaging middle or high school students in journalism-related activities.
“Report for America provides a unique opportunity for journalists to pursue meaningful, local beat reporting that sadly is missing from many of today’s newsrooms,” said Earl Johnson, director of admissions at Report for America. “Beyond talented reporters and photojournalists, we are looking for a diversity of individuals who see journalism as a calling, who want to make a difference within their communities.”