May 14, 2015; Michigan Radio
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has announced that it will give an additional $500,000 to the five nonprofit news partners that compose the Detroit Journalism Cooperative to support its coverage of community engagement opportunities in that city in 2015 and 2016.
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The cooperative is described as focusing on “engagement and enterprise, explanatory and solutions-oriented journalism.” It also is intended to provide a venue to the voices of residents, connecting them with investigative work that supports citizen action and promotes dialogue. The cooperative partners comprise Michigan Radio, Detroit Public Television (DPTV), WDET, New Michigan Media, and the Center for Michigan’s Bridge magazine. This appears to be the Cooperative’s second and largest grant to date from Knight.
“Detroit’s continued success hinges on engaging residents to contribute to its growth and be part of the reinvention of the city,” said Katy Locker, Knight Foundation program director for Detroit. “By better informing people and opening avenues for them to help solve some of the challenges facing our city, the cooperative is helping to secure a brighter future for Detroit.”
The project also receives funding from the Ford Foundation and Renaissance Journalism’s Michigan Reporting Initiative. As many readers know, both Ford and Knight have been active funders during and after the city’s bankruptcy.—Ruth McCambridge
