Report for America, which works to strengthen communities through local journalism, will be the subject of a virtual panel discussion by the Akron Press Club at noon, Tuesday, May 25, 2021.
Report for America came into being as local journalism has struggled because the revenue to support newsrooms has declined. The national program places journalists into newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America pays about half the salary. The other half is paid by the local news organization.
The panel will feature Todd Franko, Report for America director of local sustainability and development. He joined Report for America in 2019 after serving as editor of The Vindicator in Youngstown from 2007 until it closed in August 2019. He previously worked in Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Nebraska and New York.
His last few years at The Vindicator were spent in project development and revenue-generating roles at the newspaper.
Other panelists include young journalists working in newsrooms through the Report for America program. They are:
- Connor Morris, Cleveland.com.
- H.L. Comerioto, The Devil Strip.
- Abbey Marshall, The Devil Strip.
- Seyma Bayram, Akron Beacon Journal.
The Akron Press Club has not been able to hold traditional lunch programming during the current pandemic. Funds from these lunches go toward scholarships for journalism and public relations students. Between the Press Club and the John S. Knight Memorial Scholarship Fund, scholarships of $5,000 were awarded to nine students in 2020.
As we navigate COVID-19, please consider a donation to the Akron Press Club to fund scholarships. They make a difference to the students who receive them. You can donate by following the link on the registration page for this event.
Program: Report for America Panel
Date: Noon, Tuesday, May 25, 2021
To register for this free virtual event: Go to https://conta.cc/3brwTRD
To donate to Press Club scholarships: Go to https://bit.ly/370g0eZ
The Akron Press Club was founded in 1971 to promote a free press and serve local journalists and public relations professionals. The group has a rich heritage of offering newsmakers a forum to discuss issues of the day at Press Club luncheons and speaking events that are open to the public. The club also funds scholarships for journalists and public relations students. Visit www.akronpressclub.org for membership information.