California's journalists are meeting the moment.
Impact Report 2025
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California invests in local press.
A message from California Local News Fellowship Director Monica Campbell
At a time of unrelenting attacks and federal funding cuts to U.S. media, California has stepped up to protect local journalism.
Despite a tight state budget with many competing needs, California lawmakers renewed a $15 million investment to continue the UC Berkeley-based California Local News Fellowship program and expand its impact through the Propel Initiative, led by The Maynard Institute for Journalism Education in collaboration with California Black Media, the Latino Media Collaborative and American Community Media.
California’s support for journalism means support for local communities.
The California Local News Fellowship is now the largest publicly funded journalism fellowship in the country, supporting more than 70 full-time journalists (with UC pay and benefits), who collectively report approximately 100 stories per week. Fellows are placed in newsrooms across the state, in counties that account for more than 90 percent of California’s population. A fourth cohort with new editing fellowships through the Propel Initiative will start working in newsrooms this fall.
Our deep gratitude goes to former State Senator Steve Glazer, who has championed this effort from the beginning, and to the legislators who led the successful push to extend state support for journalism fellowships across the state through 2028: Senators Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), Assemblymembers Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park), Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) and David Alvarez (D-San Diego).
Special thanks also to Christa Scharfenberg, who launched and led this pioneering program during its first three years and whose leadership made its success possible.
Above all, I want to thank the early-career journalists and newsroom leaders at the heart of this effort. They are covering the stories that matter most to California communities. Like our state lawmakers, they are holding power to account, bearing witness, and documenting the stories of those who can be overlooked and underserved in these times.
Please read on to learn about the fellowship’s impact in 2025 — from graduating our inaugural cohort of fellows to expanding coverage in news deserts. And read about what’s ahead, from editing fellowships that fill critical newsroom gaps to our upcoming “California Local” newsletter.
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to lead this program in these critical times and for all of you who support excellent local journalism.
— Monica Campbell, director of the California Local News Fellowship
The California Local News Fellowship: our story.
The largest publicly funded journalism initiative of its kind in the nation
$15 million in renewed state funding to continue the California Local News Fellowship through 2028.
74 fellows currently working in newsrooms across 39 counties.
36 fellows “graduated” from the first cohort of the fellowship and approximately 39 percent were hired by their host newsrooms.
68 newsroom partners.
Fellows reach 90 percent of the state's population.
3 new formal partnerships to expand the fellowship’s reach: Report for America, The Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, and the California Health Care Foundation.
6 fellows won major journalism awards in 2025.
Local news is a lifeline.
The unfolding crisis in local news touches every state in the nation. According to the 2025 State of Local News report from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, California has two counties, Alpine and Sutter, with no dedicated news source and 14 with only one. What’s more, the federal de-funding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which historically has supported local public media, will strain more counties in the coming years.
When local news vanishes, mis- and disinformation fills the gap. Divisiveness exacerbated by “bubbles” of information can pull neighbors and families apart. Uninformed communities tend to make uninformed decisions and political polarization widens.
Local news is a lifeline. Reporters provide credible information about health and safety, hold school districts and local officials accountable and document how changing policies at the federal level affect people in our communities. These are the stories that bind us.
Placing early career journalists in newsrooms statewide — and helping them succeed.
With $25 million in initial state funding, the California Local News Fellowship program launched at UC Berkeley in fall 2023 with 39 fellows. In fall 2024, another 37 fellows were selected and sent statewide. In fall 2025, our third cohort of 38 fellows began, as the first fellows cycled off.
Fellows and newsrooms are independently selected from hundreds of applicants through competitive processes. Fellows are placed in their newsrooms for two years and receive a salary and benefits through the University of California — with funding from the state of California.
Fellows reflect the racial, ethnic, gender and educational diversity of the state, which helps to facilitate more inclusive perspectives in statewide coverage.
The types of newsrooms hosting fellows include nonprofit, public media, ethnic media, daily print and hyperlocal. Newsrooms often assign their fellows to cover news deserts or communities that have historically been ignored or unseen by mainstream media.
Based at UC Berkeley Journalism, the fellowship program strengthens the newsroom experience with training, mentoring and editorial support. This eases the load on newsroom leaders and allows fellows to produce higher-impact journalism for their communities.
Cohort managers provide ongoing, one-on-one support to the fellows and plan all the mentoring and training the fellowship provides.
Weekly training sessions focus on journalism skills and include experts to provide deep-dives into topics such as immigration, health care and housing.
Language tutoring is provided to fellows working in a non-English language, such as Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese and others.
Small group mentoring with experienced journalists focuses on career development.
Editors are on call to support fellows needing extra help or are taking on a new reporting challenge.
Propel Initiative to expand support to editors and publishers for newsroom sustainability.
“This funding strengthens the people and organizations anchoring local journalism in communities across California. It recognizes that the work these outlets and journalists do every day is essential to a democratic and informed society. By investing in those closest to the story, California is building a future where local news is not only sustainable, but truly reflective of the people it serves. The Institute is proud to work alongside Berkeley Journalism and our Propel partners in this historic, community-led coalition — a model for how states can support journalism that serves all of their residents."
Director Monica Campbell and fellows at orientation
Director Monica Campbell and fellows
Martin Reynolds, co-director of The Maynard Institute for Journalism Education addressing fellows at orientation
Martin Reynolds, co-director of The Maynard Institute for Journalism Education addressing fellows at orientation
From left, Jeneé Darden of KALW and Nicole Chavez of CNN
From left, Jeneé Darden of KALW and Nicole Chavez of CNN
From left, fellows Sergio Olmos, Vanessa Arredondo and Michelle Zacarias
From left, fellows Sergio Olmos, Vanessa Arredondo and Michelle Zacarias
Meet a few fellows.
Joe Garcia, CalMatters
Joe Garcia launched his unexpected journalism career as a reporter for the San Quentin News. Since then, his distinct writing style has appeared in The Sacramento Bee, The Washington Post, Alta Journal and The New Yorker, among others.
Alyssah Hall, Black Voice News
Alyssah Hall was raised in Lynchburg, Virginia, and chose a career in journalism because of her passion for highlighting communities of color and other minorities, driven by her personal experiences of not feeling seen. She is deeply interested in social justice stories, solutions journalism, and sharing uplifting yet impactful narratives.
Daniela Rodriguez, Radio Bilingüe
Daniela Rodriguez is a multimedia journalist based in Fresno who combines a background in sound engineering with storytelling. She is deeply committed to amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities and believes diversity in reporting enhances public understanding.
Mega proyecto residencial divide a Fresno, Dec. 17, 2025ec. 17, 2025
Reducirán recursos para tratamientos de adicciones en CA ,, Dec. 12, 2025
Centros de detención: ¿peligro para la salud pública?, Dec. 9, 2025
Fellow Jireh Deng, with the Los Angeles Public Press, reports on the dangers facing journalists who cover the immigration crackdowns in Los Angeles.
Fellow Jireh Deng, with the Los Angeles Public Press, reports on the dangers facing journalists who cover the immigration crackdowns in Los Angeles.
Cecil Egbele is a reporter for The Observer Group, Newspapers of Southern California. She reports on educational disparities in this short videos.
Cecil Egbele is a reporter for The Observer Group, Newspapers of Southern California. She reports on educational disparities in this short videos.
Daniel Eduardo Hernandez, a reporter with the Riverside Record, reports on the tradition of a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day walk-a-thon in Riverside.
Daniel Eduardo Hernandez, a reporter with the Riverside Record, reports on the tradition of a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day walk-a-thon in Riverside.
Meet a few newsroom partners.
Black Voice News
The mission of Black Voice News is to provide community-centered, solutions-oriented and data-driven reporting.
India Currents
India Currents is an award-winning, nonprofit, nonpartisan, ethnic media organization focused on the Indian American community.
Stocktonia
The mission of Stocktonia is to provide rigorous, ethical, and factual journalism covering the Stockton metropolitan region.
Shasta Scout
Shasta Scout is an independent, civic news organization focused on Shasta County’s diverse and investigative stories.
News from Native California
News from Native California is a quarterly magazine devoted to the vibrant cultures, arts, languages, histories, social justice movements, and stories of California’s diverse Indian peoples.
“Although California has more tribal reservations and representations than any other state in the country, California’s Indigenous Peoples remain one of the most marginalized and least visible populations in the region. California tribes have significant impacts on economic, environmental, and socio-cultural matters that reach beyond the state’s borders. Thus, it is very important that the public is informed on matters that concern tribal nations.”
Looking ahead: the California Local News Fellowship and Propel Initiative.
California lawmakers know that vibrant local journalism strengthens our communities and civic life. That’s why the Legislature voted in 2025 to allocate $15 million to extend the California Local News Fellowship and fund the Propel Initiative, a pioneering effort to support newsroom leadership and sustainability led by the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, in partnership with California Black Media, Latino Media Collaborative and American Community Media.
Together, the California Local News Fellowship and Propel Initiative:
- Support more than 70 reporting and editing Fellows annually in newsrooms statewide to report on underserved communities and news deserts.
- Increase the resilience and sustainability of more than 100 California newsrooms, resulting in more news for local communities.
- Provide hands-on training and mentoring to strengthen newsroom leadership, increase revenue and deepen audience engagement.
- Give financial and technical assistance to newsrooms to launch new revenue generation and audience engagement initiatives.
The California Local News Fellowship has also just received funding from the California Health Care Foundation to offer new fellowships focused on health reporting.
“This approved funding is significant in terms of the state recognizing and supporting the crucial role of local news media in helping promote and preserve democracy in these trying times.”
“Even in tight financial times, independent journalism, which underpins a citizen-informed democracy, is deserving of priority support.”
Former State Senator Steve Glazer and Christa Scharfenberg
Former State Senator Steve Glazer and Christa Scharfenberg
Fellow Claudia Brancart and local veteran
Fellow Claudia Brancart and local veteran
Fellow Audy McAfee holding microphone
Fellow Audy McAfee holding microphone
Fellows Anthony Victoria (background), and Daniel Eduardo Hernandez (foreground)
Fellows Anthony Victoria (background), and Daniel Eduardo Hernandez (foreground)
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