This nine-month fellowship is designed to accelerate your ability to uphold journalism’s highest editorial standards, lead through change, foster innovation, create an audience-focused strategy, and cultivate thriving news organizations.
This course is free for 26 admitted participants. Tuition is covered by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
This will be the second cohort of this program.
The first cohort of 24 fellows first convened in September 2023 at Poynter.
Here’s what a few of them have said:
“The program has helped me communicate more effectively with reporters regarding expectations. I believe the fellowship has also assisted me in better analyzing the journalistic purpose behind stories that we cover.” — Erica McIntosh, senior regional editor for southern Connecticut, Connecticut Public Broadcasting
“I’ve had more confidence in having hard conversations that include an element of conflict. I’m also trying to think in terms of strengths when it comes to my reporters, and allowing them to lead with those. It gives me a confidence boost when I’m feeling like I’m incapable or burnt out.” — Caroline Ballard, assistant news director, KUER, Salt Lake City
“The fellowship is doing wonders for my willingness and ability to hold my team accountable, which for me is the most difficult part of managing people. None of this works if I and they don’t meet our individual goals. This fellowship has helped me develop not only the tools but the confidence to have those difficult conversations around accountability.” — LaToya Dennis, news director and managing editor, WMFE, Orlando, Florida
“The most significant impact from this fellowship thus far has been its ability to give me confidence to make decisions in my newsroom. I have been much better at delegating and having tough discussions. It has also given me the confidence to advocate for newsroom practices with other leaders at the station.” — Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado, news director, KVPR, central California
Applicants who weren’t selected for the first cohort can apply again for the second one.
Participants for the second cohort will be notified no later than June and convene in St. Petersburg for five days the week of Sept. 16.
**Update: The initial date was Sept. 30, but we changed it to Sept. 16 to acknowledge Rosh Hashanah.**
Fellows will be matched with mentors and coaches, and will be assigned to work in small peer groups from within their cohorts.
After the in-person program launches, fellows will begin alternating-week 90-minute live online trainings, have regular check-ins with their coaches/mentors, join in conversations in a Slack workspace and build on relationships with fellowship colleagues.
Training that fellows can expect during the duration of the program will include:
- Exploring successful approaches to leadership and ethics within public media
- Identifying a challenge, and addressing it over the course of the fellowship
- Focusing on community engagement, including identifying new potential audiences and using data and metrics
- Having difficult conversations, giving feedback, empowering staff and managing your relationships with supervisors
- Dealing with vulnerable sources
- Recruiting and training the next generation of journalists, including in-house talent
- Managing projects, community partnerships, budgets and resources
The fellowship’s first cohort will end in April 2025 with a virtual closing session.
We’ll provide opportunities for you to learn from and support one another, creating bonds that last beyond the life of the program.
Questions?
If you need assistance, email us at info@poynter.org.
