Los Angeles public radio outlet LAist (KPCC) is set to expand its local journalism efforts thanks to a $2.4 million grant from the LA Local News Initiative. This funding initiative is a collaborative effort with local leaders and the American Journalism Project.
The focus of the funding is to enable LAist to broaden its accountability journalism, which targets increased scrutiny of influential figures and institutions. This grant, distributed over five years, is part of a broader $15 million investment throughout LA funded by contributions from The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, the Spiegel Family Fund, and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.
The funding will enhance LAist’s reporting capabilities, allowing it to dedicate more resources to investigative journalism and strengthen its collaborations with other local media and academic institutions.
This financial support arrives at a pivotal moment for local journalism, which has seen significant declines in resources and staffing. A 2023 report from Northwestern Medill School of Journalism highlights that California has lost a third of its newspapers since 2005 and seen a 68% reduction in journalists, underscoring the critical need for initiatives such as those spearheaded by the L.A. Local News Initiative.
In May, LAist started offering buyouts to full- and part-time employees working at least 24 hours per week in an effort to mitigate a projected $4 million to $5 million budget shortfall over the next two years.
LAist President and CEO Alejandra Santamaria said, “We are thrilled and deeply grateful for this grant from the L.A. Local News Initiative, which will not only empower LAist to expand our coverage but also foster even greater collaboration with our partners. This support will enable us to increase the depth of our accountability journalism, ensuring that more Angelenos have access to the stories that matter and impact their lives.”
