|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Five foundations announced the creation of Press Forward South Florida, a new initiative to ensure residents have the information they need to make decisions about their lives—no matter where they live or what language they speak at home.
With $3 million in seed funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Press Florida South Florida will expand support and raise funds for local news initiatives in South Florida. Grantmaking will begin in late 2025.
“We believe local news encourages our community to ask more challenging questions, dig deeper into critical issues, and own our solutions,” said Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, president and CEO of The Miami Foundation. “We are a region of newcomers – so many of us are born in another city, country, or culture. Local news can help us connect across differences, build a better future, and feel at home here in South Florida.”
Partners include the Community Foundation of Broward, Coral Gables Community Foundation and Key Biscayne Community Foundation, with the Miami Foundation housing the initiative.
“Local news fuels understanding, builds a sense of community and – when necessary – empowers residents to take action for the community we love,” said Community Foundation of Broward President/CEO Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, Ph.D. “As our local news outlets suffer from the national trend of diminished staffing and limited resources, support for Press Forward South Florida will strengthen and grow access to the quality local news that is essential to thriving communities.”
The chapter is currently assessing the existing media ecosystem and South Floridians’ news and information needs in partnership with the American Journalism Project and Florida International University’s Jorge M. Perez Metropolitan Center and School of Journalism and Media. The American Journalism Project has led similar assessments across 14 communities nationwide to evaluate local information needs and the state of local news providers. The findings from this assessment will help shape Press Forward South Florida’s strategy.
Why Press Forward South Florida
News outlets in South Florida and nationwide are shrinking as advertising revenue has moved online to social media and search platforms. At the same time, the region faces increasingly complex challenges, from climate change to the lack of economic mobility and affordable housing. Residents need access to accurate reliable and independent news and information to come together and find solutions, and one of Press Forward South Florida’s goals will be to help drive the business sustainability of local news publishers.
The challenge is so critical that, for the first time, community foundations in three counties are working together to find solutions.
Press Forward South Florida is a local chapter of Press Forward, which works nationally and in 36 regions and states nationwide to strengthen communities through local news. Press Forward national is housed at The Miami Foundation.
What Press Forward South Florida will do
Press Forward South Florida wants to hear from 1,000 residents across Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe on what they need from local news and information. The survey is available at https://bit.ly/localnewssurvey
At the same time, the chapter is creating a collaborative fund to invest in local news in South Florida, with grantmaking beginning later this year.
“Press Forward is not just about providing financial aid to local newsrooms—it’s about fostering a deep and enduring commitment from the South Florida community to support local journalism,” said Jim Brady, Vice President for Journalism at Knight Foundation. “We hope Press Forward South Florida will lay the groundwork for greater community investment in the future of news and information in the region.”
ABOUT US:
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.
This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.
Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com or Grant@communitynewspapers.com
#thatscommunitynews #communitynewspapers #miamidade #miamidadecounty #thatscommunity #miamicommunitynews #coralgables #palmettobay #southmiami #doral #aventura #pinecrest #kendall #broward #biscaynebay
