Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communication and Report for America have launched WSU Murrow Fellows/Report for Washington, a statewide initiative that partners with local newsrooms to hire journalists and strengthen local reporting with the goal of supporting local reporting in all 39 Washington counties. Newsrooms located or operating in Washington state are eligible to apply to participate in Report for Washington through dedicated recruitment cycles. Learn more about current opportunities to participate.

What is the goal of the initiative?
The partnership aims to ensure that every county in Washington has access to reliable local reporting by 2029. The initiative will also help newsrooms become more financially sustainable by offering hands-on help to do that. The ultimate goal is to permanently expand the reporting capacity of newsrooms throughout the state while ensuring deeper coverage of civic affairs and wider distribution of general news and information in each community.

How many reporters will the program support?
The initiative will place 39 reporters in Washington newsrooms over three years, generally one per county. Each reporter will serve up to three years in the program.

How is Report for Washington different from the existing Murrow News Fellowship?
The initiative builds on the Murrow News Fellowship, a state-funded program launched in 2023 that placed 16 early-career reporters in Washington newsrooms for two years, hiring them as WSU employees managed by their newsroom supervisors. The partnership adds in Report for America’s recruiting, training, fundraising, and sustainability support.
 
Newsrooms that participate in Report for Washington will directly employ their reporters. Most will pay half the salary of their reporter the first year; 66% of salary the second year; and 80% the optional third year. Newsrooms are also responsible for benefits. All the while, we work with newsrooms to fundraise, including becoming the free fiscal sponsor for for-profit newsrooms to accept donations. To support newsrooms that cannot accommodate the standard funding formula, additional assistance—up to the full salary in certain cases—will be made available. 

How is Report for Washington funded?
The program combines state support, philanthropy and newsroom investment, with an estimated cost of $10 million over five years. 

Which newsrooms are eligible to apply?
Local news organizations located or operating in Washington state that are committed to public-service journalism and community coverage are welcome to apply. Eligible organizations can be big or small, for-profit or nonprofit, and work in any medium — including daily and weekly newspapers, commercial and public radio and TV, and digital-only newsrooms.

Washington newsrooms apply through the dedicated WSU Murrow Fellows/Report for Washington selection process rather than the national Report for America host newsroom cohort. The number of participating newsrooms may vary by recruitment cycle. Newsrooms that have previously hosted a Murrow Fellow or Report for America corps member may also apply. For newsrooms currently supervising a Report for America corps member, that corps member’s term must end before a Report for Washington journalist can begin in the newsroom.

What kinds of reporting positions will be supported?
The initiative prioritizes coverage of civic affairs and underserved areas, including rural communities and undercovered beats. 

Will newsrooms need to contribute financially?
Most newsrooms will pay half their reporter’s salary the first year, 66% of the salary the second year, and 80% of the salary the optional third year. The newsroom also pays benefits. The program allows for more support for some newsrooms, in some cases significantly more, depending on their revenue and other factors. In the application, you can let us know if you need more support. 

What support will host newsrooms receive beyond salary assistance?
Support includes recruitment assistance, training, mentorship and intensive fundraising help. Report for America can become the free fiscal sponsor for for-profit newsrooms in the program to accept tax-deductable donations from local supporters. 

What commitment is expected from host organizations?
Host newsrooms must be committed to the reporter’s growth, provide good editing support, and be willing to try to fundraise. They are expected to pay their part of a living wage for the reporter, as outlined in the MIT Living Wage Calculator. They also must be available for periodic check-ins with Report for Washington staff.

I run a for-profit newsroom. If I host a fellow, will I be required to give away content? Yes. All fellows’ bylined stories will be available via Creative Commons permissions, though each newsroom can establish a preferred embargo period of up to a week.

If the 39 reporters will be deployed in the first three years, why is it a five-year initiative? The additional two years allows for possible additional hiring, so that 39 reporters, or more, are working throughout the state concurrently in later years. Also, reporters who start in Year 3 will be in the program for two to three years.
 
When would a selected newsroom get a reporter?
Selected newsrooms will receive information about placement/start timelines as part of each recruitment cycle.

How will reporters be selected and matched with newsrooms?
Program staff will select newsrooms, aided by one or more external advisors. We’ll then recruit reporter candidates with the desired skills and will create a candidate slate for each newsroom. Newsrooms will select the final candidate. If a newsroom has a preferred candidate — a reporter they’ve worked with as a freelancer or intern, say — we’ll include them in the slate provided they apply for the program and meet the criteria.

Which reporters should apply?
Candidates should be interested in public-service reporting and local community coverage. The program is open to reporters of all experience levels, not just early-career reporters. They don’t have to be graduates of WSU or any Washington institutions. Previous fellows or Report for America corps members may apply too, but they cannot return to a newsroom they previously served.

How long will placements last?
This is a two-year program with an optional third year. Our goal is that after that time, the newsroom is able to permanently increase its capacity and make the position permanent. We’ll be working with the newsroom to make that possible.

Who can newsrooms or reporters contact with questions?
Send questions to info@reportforamerica.org. Details about upcoming information sessions will be shared during each application cycle.