Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University announces $20,000 media fellowship to combat news deserts

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Jun 06, 2019, 15:01 ET

PITTSBURGH, June 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University is doing a nationwide search for journalists looking to fight against the growing scourge of news deserts.

The $20,000 Doris O'Donnell Innovations in Investigative Reporting will go to a journalist in need of funding to tell a story in an underserved market.

"For many communities throughout the country, newspapers are the best – and sometimes only – source for critical local news. The death of a newspaper in one of these places leaves an informational black hole that can be devastating," said Andrew Conte, director of the Center for Media Innovation. "This fellowship offers an opportunity to shine a light on one of those communities."

The annual Doris O'Donnell Innovations in Investigative Reporting Fellowship is made possible through a three-year grant from the Allegheny Foundation.

A panel of five distinguished judges with credentials in innovative and investigative journalism will evaluate applicants based on value, innovation, engagement, diversity and ability. That panel includes:

Penny Abernathy, Knight Chair in Journalism and Digital Media Economics at the University of North Carolina. She is the author of "The Expanding News Deserts," a major 2018 report that documents the decline and loss of local news organizations in the U.S.
David Folkenflik, a media correspondent for NPR News, and host and editor of On Point from NPR and WBUR, Boston's NPR station.
Amber Hunt, an investigative reporter for the Cincinnati Enquirer. She is part of the Pulitzer Prize-winning team at the Enquirer, where she also hosts the podcast "Accused."
Brentin Mock, a Pittsburgh-based staff writer for CityLab, a standalone website from The Atlantic that explores trends shaping our country's urban future.
Carl Prine, editor of the Navy Times, who covered the invasion of Iraq for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and was later deployed to Iraq as an Army guardsman.

Journalists and media outlets can apply through June 30 at www.DorisODonnellFellowship.com.

The Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University is a state-of-the-art incubator and collaborative space designed to prepare students for success in a media industry intertwined with the latest technology, while also supporting professional journalists and educating the public at large. The Center features TV and radio/podcast studios, a photo studio, a multimedia newsroom, and a transformational presentation and gallery space. Visit CenterForMediaInnovation.com to learn more.

SOURCE Point Park University