NPR has received a $4.7 million grant from philanthropists Eric and Wendy Schmidt to the Collaborative Journalism Network to create two new regional newsrooms -- one in California and a Midwest hub connecting Member stations in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. It also expands investigative reporting capacity. These two new regional newsrooms will enable public radio stations in the states they serve to coordinate and expand their local and regional reporting and will also provide content to national news programs and digital platforms.
"Now more than ever, we depend on high-quality journalism for timely and critical information," said Wendy Schmidt. "Local news is especially important, and with so many newsrooms in decline, we need to invest in strengthening reporting resources from trusted sources like public radio. These regional news hubs will not only increase local reporting of critical issues, they will also elevate diverse voices and perspectives in regional and national stories."
