The Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA) Editor Corps, which provides critical short-term editing help to local public media newsrooms, will resume service as it implements a sustainability plan under a two-year, $100,000 grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
“The PMJA Editor Corps has become a vital resource to public media newsrooms, especially at small and rural stations that provide trusted local news,” said Joy Lin, vice president, journalism, who announces the grant today at the PMJA Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas. “CPB recognizes that public media stations are filling vital community information gaps with increased local news coverage, even as they continue to manage resource constraints. We’re pleased to continue to support this program, which delivers immediate help where it is most urgent and ensures that public media newsrooms have the resources necessary to uphold journalism’s highest editorial standards.”
“PMJA couldn’t be more pleased that CPB has agreed to continue our partnership for the PMJA Editor Corps,” said Christine Paige Diers, PMJA executive director. “We know that good editing is a critical need for all journalism, and are glad to be able to provide experienced editorial support when it’s most needed. With this new funding, the PMJA Editor Corps will move toward becoming a sustainable service for public media.”
PMJA launched the Editor Corps in April 2020 as an emergency response to stations facing significant burdens during the coronavirus pandemic. Funding was originally provided by PMJA Conference sponsors — NPR, PRX, CPB, and the Knight Foundation — who agreed to have their sponsorship dollars redirected to this program after PMJA canceled its 2020 conference.
With continued support from CPB, the PMJA Editor Corps later expanded to include assistance for special projects, elections coverage, and other breaking news. Editors, assigned daily to stations requesting assistance, were provided at no cost to the public media stations. In three years, stations have received more than 3,300 hours of editing help at especially critical times.
Under the sustainability plan, stations will pay a portion of the cost of the editorial assistance on a sliding scale, with small stations paying $25 per hour, medium stations paying $40 per hour and large stations paying $65 per hour. Funding from CPB and other funders will cover the difference between these rates and the pay rate to editors of $85 per hour. PMJA will make the program easier to access for stations and editors, market the program and seek additional philanthropic funding.
For more information about the program, go to https://www.pmja.org/editor-corps
