To combat shrinking budgets and reporting staff, NPR is strengthening its New England coverage by establishing its fifth regional newsroom. The new effort builds on the New England News Collaborative, which was founded in 2015.
This model, which also includes regional newsrooms in Texas, California, the Gulf States, and the Midwest, promotes coordinated coverage, resource sharing, and in-depth reporting on significant regional stories, all in collaboration with NPR. The NENC already contains ten stations from Connecticut to Maine.
NENC Managing Editor Cori Princell will lead the regional newsroom, coordinating coverage plans with NPR and ensuring seamless collaboration between the stations. The New England collaborative has already demonstrated early potential by covering major events like the mass shooting in Lewiston, ME, and the solar eclipse.
NPR Editor-in-Chief and acting Chief Content Officer Edith Chapin said, “NPR is committed to deepening collaboration with our local stations to better serve the public’s need for trustworthy reporting that’s vital to our democracy. We’re excited to work more closely with the New England News Collaborative on this crucial shared mission.”
New Hampshire Public Radio CEO Jim Schachter commented, “By working together, the newsrooms of the New England News Collaborative are able to cover the biggest stories with greater impact and to innovate on ways to reach new audiences across the region. We’re also partnering to create opportunities for diverse staff to develop their skills, so all our organizations can provide be more inclusive and produce more inclusive journalism.”
Connecticut Public Chief Content Officer Vanessa de la Torre, added, “As the former managing editor at New Hampshire Public Radio, Cori understands the impact local and regional reporting can have on our communities. Working with NPR as a regional newsroom gives us new opportunities to expand our impact.”
