Posts by Alena Feeney
2024 In Review: Celebrating Collaboration and Impact Across California
By Christa Scharfenberg As 2024 comes to a close, it’s easy to be consumed by a sense of foreboding about the state — and future — of journalism. From attacks on journalists around the world to newsroom layoffs to political polarization caused by disinformation to direct threats against journalists made by the incoming presidential administration,…
Read MoreVoces: Latino Vote 2024
In partnership with PBS, ITVS and Latino Public Broadcasting we are proud to present a series VOCES: LATINO VOTE 2024, a new documentary and collection of digital shorts that examine the priorities of the politically diverse Latino electorate in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. The documentary “Voces: Latino Vote 2024” is an hour-long…
Read MoreNew California Local News Fellows Connect, Prepare and Launch
The culmination of an intensive four-day orientation at UC Berkeley Journalism for 37 new California Local News Fellows poised to begin local reporting jobs in newsrooms across the state buzzed with community spirit and anticipation. “The end just feels like camp right now,” said Emma Garcia, a 2024 Berkeley Journalism alum who is working at…
Read MoreCovering the Best Beat: Equity In the OC
By Victoria Ivie It seems rare to find a career that aligns with what we’ve studied in school. That’s exactly what happened with my California Local News Fellowship: My entire education prepared me for the equity beat I love. With my placement at the Orange County Register (owned by Southern California News Group), I’ve been…
Read More“Trading A Press Pass For Community Connection”
By Pablo Orihuela Don’t let the cool looks of Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford in “All The President’s Men” fool you. One of the perks of working in the journalism industry is that the vast majority of us don’t have to wear a work uniform. I suppose my peers here in the Central Valley could…
Read MoreAnother boost to local news in California: state-funded fellows to report from Shasta to Orange counties
A second cohort of California Local News Fellows and newsrooms announced today will work in newsrooms statewide starting this fall as part of a state-funded initiative to invigorate local journalism, with a focus on underserved communities. The program will now support 75 early-career journalists working at small and large newspapers, public radio stations and community…
Read More‘You are all meant to be here’ and other Fellowship lessons
By Ximena Loeza Imposter syndrome can be your biggest enemy in journalism. I applied to the California Local News Fellowship more than a year ago alongside some of my friends and peers and at the insistence of my Journalism professor and mentor at San Francisco State University, Josh Davis. I didn’t think I would be…
Read MoreAt the national Bioneers Conference, Local News Leaders Highlight Efforts to Save and Enliven Local News
The crisis for local news with “news deserts” appearing across the national landscape as well as the hope for a new kind of local journalism were highlighted at the 35th Annual Bioneers Conference in Berkeley in late March with the panel “The Struggle to Save and Revivify Local Media.” California Local News Fellowship Director Christa…
Read MoreFellowship Releases Inaugural Report on Program Impact
The state-funded California Local News Fellowship launched in 2023 to foster informed and engaged communities throughout the state. The program, which places early career journalists in newsrooms for two year reporting fellowships, is designed to strengthen local news and help launch journalism careers. In order to measure the impact and growth of the program, an…
Read MoreIncarcerated journalist Steve Brooks selected as California Local News Fellow
Steve Brooks, former editor-in-chief of the award-winning San Quentin News, was selected to participate in the inaugural cohort of the California Local News Fellowship. The program is a state-funded initiative based at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism to strengthen local, public affairs reporting in California, with a focus on underserved communities. Brooks, currently…
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