Press Forward Mississippi’s recent announcement of $100,000 split between two initiatives towards the state’s development of journalism is beginning its implementation. Part of larger national movement seeking to strengthen local journalism, the project is lead-funded by the CREATE Foundation from Tupelo, MS. It will both collaborate with 23 local news outlets for assessment and improvement, and to provide 15 public high schools with the resources and help necessary to start their own journalism programs.
When reaching out to Press Forward Mississippi for more detail on their statewide initiative, representative Lucy Schultze spoke on behalf of the funders in an advisory and facilitation role for the CREATE Foundation. When asked about the assessing the long-term impact of these investments, Schultze emphasizes it was first about seeing what was possible by connecting funders with their local news.
“We’re aiming for tangible, short-term results that can strategically move the needle, while also drawing more people into the conversation about why local news matters,” Schultze said.
Schultze added that the key in the long term is building up communities to be stronger, having the connection between growing local news and the people who live around it.
“Both Press Forward Mississippi and the broader Press Forward movement are focused on the same thing: stronger communities,” Schultze said. “Investing in local news is a means to that end, not the end itself. Do people understand what’s happening in their communities? Are they aware of the decisions being made that could shape their lives and livelihoods? Do they know how to get plugged in and help make their community a better place for everyone? That’s what this work is really about.”
When implementing these two initiatives across the state, strategy will be key in ensuring goals of equal opportunities and benefits. Starting with the collaboration for the 23 local outlets, Schultze detailed on their role of participation:
“Our partners in the collaborative reporting pilot (Tim Kalich and the Mississippi Press Association) invited outlets from across the state, aiming for roughly even participation across northern, central and southern Mississippi”, Schultze said. “Because this is a pilot, we’re building in space to assess how things went, what we learned, and how the model can evolve going forward. One early takeaway is that Mississippi’s local news outlets (many of which are locally owned) are eager to work together to show their value and relevance.”
For the upstarting of 15 school journalism programs, Press Forward Mississippi is partnering with The Bell, a nonprofit based in New York City that this year launched its own Mississippi program, the Jackson Youth Newsroom. Their collaboration is designed to provide as much opportunity as possible to aspiring schools in need of journalism development, a process that they are evaluating carefully.
“It’s important that school leaders are supportive of adding a journalism program, and that there’s a teacher who’s excited to grow into this opportunity,” Schultze said. “We’re also hoping for geographic diversity among the selected schools so that this effort reflects a range of communities across Mississippi. Their [The Bell] experience will help us focus not just on where the need is, but where the conditions are right for these programs to take root and thrive.”
As for The Bell itself, the opportunity to work with Press Forward Mississippi on this project was not one to pass up, but to accept happily in their continuing mission of quality journalism education.
“We’re deeply grateful to Press Forward Mississippi for recognizing the vital role that student journalism plays in our schools and communities,” said Taylor McGraw, Executive Director of The Bell.
“Their commitment sends a powerful message: Young people’s voices matter and deserve to be heard. Partnering with them allows us to expand access to quality journalism education and ensure that many more Mississippi students gain the tools, confidence, and support to produce meaningful news for their peers and communities.”
McGraw and The Bell are excited about the potential of this partnership, and have their goals in how to responsibly handle the $50,000 investment going towards the public schools lacking journalism programs, giving them the necessary tools and connections.
“Each participating school will receive support to launch a journalism course and a student-run news publication, giving students hands-on experience in reporting, writing, and multimedia storytelling,” McGraw said. We’ll also connect these new programs to the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association (MSPA), providing advisers and students with access to professional development, networking opportunities, and recognition through their conferences and annual awards. By bringing new schools into this community, we aim to strengthen a thriving statewide ecosystem for student journalism that will last for years to come.”
McGraw also explained the simple notion of having an opportunity. Students across the state are needing to hone their skills and develop the stories they want to craft, and with this grant, major steps are being taken toward solving that issue. With an opportunity in hand, young students can develop into a proper next generation of storytellers.
“Many Mississippi students are eager to tell stories that matter but simply don’t have access to a journalism program at their school,” McGraw said.
“This grant helps close that gap by giving schools the resources, training, and mentorship they need to launch strong, sustainable programs. By investing in young journalists today, we’re not just teaching skills; we’re cultivating civically engaged critical thinkers and leaders. This initiative ensures that Mississippi’s next generation of storytellers can inform, inspire, and shape the future of their communities and our state.”
While this initiative by Press Forward Mississippi is beginning its rollout, it will also be hosting its second statewide media conference on October 30th, at the University of Southern Mississippi.
– To learn more about Press Forward Mississippi, visit http://pressforwardms.org/
– To learn more about The Bell and Jackson Youth Newsroom, visit https://www.bellvoices.org/ and https://www.jacksonyouthnews.org/
