Poynter Institute and CPB Announce Leadership Fellowship

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)

The Poynter Institute, in partnership with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), has launched a six-month fellowship aimed at enhancing the leadership and editorial integrity of public media station managers. The new program, titled the Executive Editorial Integrity and Leadership Initiative, seeks to provide local station executives with the tools and training to strengthen their newsrooms' editorial and business operations.

This fellowship is designed for station managers who oversee local newsrooms, providing them with the vision and expertise to uphold public media's highest editorial standards while managing the day-to-day business of their stations. The program will cover key areas including fostering innovation, forming partnerships, managing budgets, and maintaining editorial independence.

CPB Senior Vice President of Radio, Journalism and Community Service Grants Kathy Merritt said, "At a time when the craft of journalism is under increased scrutiny, it is critical that public media general managers have the support and expertise needed to lead local newsrooms in a rapidly changing media environment," she said. According to Merritt, public media stations now employ about 4,400 full- and part-time journalists, emphasizing the growing impact of public media across the country.

The fellowship will train 50 public media executives over two years, with cohorts of 25 participants each in 2025 and 2026. Station managers will attend an initial in-person training week at Poynter's headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida, followed by virtual sessions held every other week for six months. Participants will work with Poynter's instructors and coaches to develop an executive leadership action plan tailored to their station's strategic vision.

Kerwin Speight, Poynter leadership faculty member, explained the program's broader goals: "As the media landscape changes, station managers need support to adapt, adjust, and effectively lead. We hope to better equip these leaders with the knowledge, tools, and best practices to help them lead their stations today and into the future."

Applications for the first cohort are due by December 6, 2024, with selected participants to be notified in January 2025. The first cohort will convene in St. Petersburg from April 28 to May 2, 2025. Applications for the second cohort will open in 2025.