WYPR 88.1 FM, Baltimore’s NPR news station, has been selected as a host newsroom for Report for America (RFA). As part of the national service program that places emerging journalists into local news organizations to report on under-covered issues and communities, WYPR will host at least one journalist who will focus on Baltimore’s housing crisis.
“Report for America addresses an urgent need in journalism at a time when news deserts are widening across the country, leaving communities uninformed on local issues and threatening our democracy like never before,” RFA said in its announcement of this year’s participating news organizations.
“We're thrilled to have this opportunity to cover in depth Baltimore’s housing crisis, an issue that doesn't get the kind of coverage it deserves,” said Joel McCord, news director for WYPR. “We're looking forward to getting this new reporter on board this summer and to taking a deeper dive into the issue.”
WYPR is one of 164 host news organizations across 46 states selected for the 2020 program, and one of five based in Maryland. Others selected include The Baltimore Sun, Technical.ly, Maryland Matters and The Capital Gazette. The 2020 program will host 250 reporters, four times as many than the 2019 class.
RFA’s expansion of its reporting corps came from contributions by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Facebook Journalism Project, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Google News Initiative, the Ford Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, the Tow Foundation and others.
RFA pays half of a corps member’s salary, while its local news partners and their funders contribute the other half. The goal of the model is to expand the number of local reporting positions permanently.
“WYPR seeks to produce and put out content on topics that are important to our listeners and community,” said LaFontaine E. Oliver, general manager for WYPR. “Not only digging deep on an issue that has plagued Baltimore for many years but looking at it from every angle over the course of the yearlong program, allows us to provide rich and meaningful content.”
To see a full list of the accepted news organizations, visit: https://www.reportforamerica.org/2019/12/01/the-2020-21-report-for-america-newsrooms-and-beats/. For information on how to support WYPR’s participation in RFA, please contact Catherine Tucker at ctucker@wypr.org or 410-235-1685. RFA is currently accepting applications through January 31, 2020 for corps reporters at https://www.reportforamerica.org/application/.
WYPR is a National Public Radio station serving Baltimore, the state of Maryland, and beyond. WYPR was founded in 2002 by local community members. It is an independent licensee with a diverse Board of Directors consisting of Maryland residents. In addition to airing national and international radio features, WYPR excels in local programming including its news, public affairs, and cultural programs. WYPR is located at 88.1 FM on the radio dial and at 2216 N. Charles Street in Baltimore. As a listener-supported radio station, all contributions to the station are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. For more information, visit www.wypr.org or call 410-235-1660.
