WSU, Report for America Partner to Expand Local News Coverage Across Washington

The ambitious five-year, $10 million initiative aims to place 39 reporters in local newsrooms by 2029.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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Washington State University's Murrow College of Communication and Report for America have launched a partnership to cover every county in Washington by 2029, filling reporting gaps as newsrooms shrink and misinformation spreads. The collaboration will place up to 13 journalists in local newsrooms starting in 2027, building on existing efforts to strengthen local journalism in the state.

Why it matters

Local journalism is critical to a healthy democracy, but many communities in Washington lack reliable, local reporting due to shrinking newsrooms and the spread of misinformation. This partnership aims to systematically eliminate 'news deserts' across the state and create a model that can be replicated elsewhere.

The details

The five-year, $10 million initiative will rely on a combination of private philanthropy and public support from the Washington State Legislature. Murrow and Report for America seek to raise $5 million in new pledges this year to launch the program. The collaboration builds on two existing efforts: the Murrow News Fellowship program, which has placed 16 fellows in newsrooms across the state, and Report for America's placement of 17 corps members in Washington newsrooms since 2019.

  • The first cohort of up to 13 journalists will begin in 2027.
  • The partnership aims to place 39 reporters in Washington local newsrooms by 2029.

The players

Report for America

A national nonprofit program that places journalists in local newsrooms to expand coverage on critical, often underreported issues while strengthening newsroom capacity and organizational sustainability.

Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University

Washington's land-grant university, which launched the Murrow News Fellowship program in 2023 to deepen trustworthy local reporting while providing aspiring journalists with vital, on-the-job experience.

Bruce Pinkleton

Dean of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University.

Ben Shors

Murrow Fellowship director and chair of the Department of Journalism and Media Production at Washington State University.

Marko Liias

Washington state senator who championed the Murrow Fellows' original request for state funding.

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What they’re saying

“Report for America is thrilled to be collaborating with the Murrow News Fellowship program to support local newsrooms across Washington. Communities are made stronger and residents better informed by having reporters who hold public officials accountable and make news available and accessible to readers. We are confident this partnership will do just that, and we hope that this partnership serves as a model for other states.”

— Rob Zeaske, CEO and president of Report Local, home of Report for America

“Murrow Fellows do a tremendous service to the communities they cover while receiving the best possible on-the-job training for journalists. Every dollar invested in this partnership leverages existing funding, Report for America's national infrastructure, and WSU's land-grant reach across the state.”

— Bruce Pinkleton, Dean, Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University

“I'm thrilled to see Report for America and Washington State University come together to strengthen local news across Washington. This partnership is a powerful example of what's possible when a trusted journalism organization and a statewide academic leader align around a shared public mission. By combining their reach and expertise, they are expanding impact in ways neither could achieve alone. At Press Forward, we hope this collaboration inspires similar, ambitious partnerships in states across the country to broaden access to high-quality local news in communities everywhere.”

— Dale Anglin, Executive director of Press Forward

“Local journalism is the backbone of a strong, independent press - and it's the very foundation of a healthy democracy. At a time when our democracy is in crisis, this partnership is an exciting effort to bolster local journalism and ensure Washington's communities have the information they need and deserve.”

— Marko Liias, Washington state senator

“Washington will systematically eliminate news deserts and create a model that can be replicated across the country. We're building upon our Murrow Fellowship program and ensuring we're not just placing reporters-we're building the infrastructure for sustainable local journalism in communities that have been invisible for too long.”

— Ben Shors, Murrow Fellowship director and chair of the Department of Journalism and Media Production at WSU

What’s next

Details on how newsrooms and journalists can apply for the partnership will be announced later this year.

The takeaway

This ambitious public-private partnership between Washington State University and Report for America aims to ensure every county in Washington has access to reliable, local reporting, addressing the growing crisis of 'news deserts' and strengthening the foundation of democracy in communities across the state.