-- Country's most-listened-to public radio station collaborating with several independent local news outlets --
SAN FRANCISCO, August 12, 2011 - KQED has become the first public media organization in the country to join a groundbreaking national program that connects broadcast and print news outlets with local online-first news organizations. The innovative collaboration highlights both the increased importance of blogs when it comes to producing community news and KQED's commitment to providing Bay Area residents with a diverse array of news and information.
Through the Networked Journalism program, KQED is working with the Bay Area news organizations Berkeleyside(berkeleyside.com), Oakland Local (oaklandlocal.com), NeighborWebSJ (neighborwebsjdev.com), and the San Francisco Public Press (sfpublicpress.org). Each organization's posts can be read on the Bay Area page at KQEDnews.org, covering topics ranging from city council meetings and crime to community fairs and transportation issues. Staffers from organizations collaborating with KQED also are contributing to stories produced by KQED Public Radio.
Networked Journalism is a national effort founded by J Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism that has helped established partnerships between online-only outlets and traditional news organizations like The Oregonian and The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette newspapers. It is supported by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
“We are enthusiastic about working with the Networked Journalism initiative. And we're excited about this opportunity to work with local news groups and organizations across the Bay Area to present a more diverse, more in-depth news service for our respective online news readers and radio listeners,” remarked Jo Anne Wallace, Vice President and General Manager, KQED Public Radio.
As part of the project, staffers from Bay Area news organizations are also receiving training at KQED in radio production and exploring networking opportunities, as well as other possibilities for collaboration. KQED Community News Coordinator Molly Samuel emphasized that working with KQED has many benefits for local news outlets.