The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is going forward with a $115,000 grant to continue the Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA) Editor Corps. The program provides short-term editing assistance to public media newsrooms facing significant burdens.
Started in April 2020 as an emergency response early in the pandemic, PMJA Editor Corps has provided seasoned freelance editors to help public media stations as the challenges posed by the pandemic and other news events continued to strain local newsrooms. CPB provided additional funding in 2021 so the program could continue at no cost to impacted stations.
“The PMJA Editor Corps has proved to be a valuable service, providing immediate help where it is needed most, including small and rural newsrooms,” said Kathy Merritt, CPB SVP, journalism, radio, and community service grant services. “CPB is pleased to support this service as PMJA seeks to make it a permanent program.”
“The PMJA Editor Corps has been a lifeline to stations across the country, and we’ve found that the need for editorial assistance is ongoing – not just something to be seen as an emergency response,” said PMJA Executive Director Christine Paige Diers.
During the past two years, the program has provided editorial assistance to approximately 50 public media stations.
