Center for Cooperative Media

06/04/2026

NJ News Wire provides statewide coverage across New Jersey, expanding its reach to serve communities throughout the state.

The platform will deliver comprehensive reporting on local government, policy decisions, community events, and regional developments—covering the stories that directly impact residents' daily lives.

This expansion represents a meaningful investment in accessible, reliable journalism for New Jerseyans. As local news continues to face challenges nationwide, initiatives like this strengthen the information infrastructure communities need to stay informed and engaged.

Learn more about NJ News Wire's statewide launch and what it means for news coverage across the state.

Now out of beta testing, the NJ News Wire content-sharing network is accepting new members. Approved newsrooms get more than 1,000…

06/03/2026

The Omaha Documenters program pays and trains community members to attend and document public government meetings, creating a bridge between professional journalism and civic engagement.

Led by Leah Wambui Keinama at Nebraska Journalism Trust, the program compensates residents for work many were already doing unpaid—like Jeanie Mezger, who previously traveled two hours to document Nebraska Board of Pardons meetings on her own. Local reporters regularly use these meeting notes to inform their coverage, making government more transparent and accessible.

Beyond Documenters, Keinama also manages a citywide soil testing initiative addressing Omaha's lead contamination legacy from a former smelting plant. The programs demonstrate how compensating community members for civic work builds confidence, expands participation, and strengthens local journalism.

Leah Wambui Keinama is director of civic journalism at Nebraska Journalism Trust, which runs Flatwater Free Press. Keinama is in charge of…

06/03/2026

We're excited to announce that Montclair State University will operate New Jersey's public television stations beginning July 1, 2026. This marks a historic moment as public media returns to New Jersey-based leadership.

Our College of Communication and Media will manage NJ PBS, bringing together our broadcast facilities, community connections, and commitment to diverse storytelling. We're planning at least six hours of New Jersey-focused programming each week, including a nightly newscast, public affairs shows, and live coverage of state events.

Through the Center's partnerships with hundreds of local news organizations, we're building a collaborative journalism network that amplifies voices across our state. The University will contribute $1.2 million annually in in-kind support, and we're creating valuable internship opportunities for students who will help shape public media's future.

This partnership ensures that New Jersey's public media will be truly accountable to residents and built to thrive for generations to come.

The University and its College of Communication and Media will manage NJ PBS beginning July 1, 2026. The selection brings public media back home to New Jersey with broadcast-ready facilities, a statewide journalism network, and a fiscally responsible plan built for the long term.

05/29/2026

New Jersey faces a local journalism crisis that threatens democratic function. With only 5.1 journalists per 100,000 residents, the state ranks nearly last nationally, leaving 43% of municipalities without coverage. The consequences are measurable: fewer candidates run for office, voter turnout declines, municipal borrowing costs rise, and misinformation flourishes.

The state is responding with innovative solutions. The New Jersey Civic Information Consortium represents the nation's first state-funded approach to sustaining local news. NJ News Commons demonstrates how collaborative networks enable newsrooms to pool resources for major investigations.

Stefanie Murray, director of the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University, outlines concrete actions citizens can take: subscribe and pay for local outlets, support nonprofit newsrooms as community institutions, share local information with reporters, and vote in local elections.

The principle established during the Revolutionary War remains true: democracy requires an informed citizenry built on shared facts. Sustaining local journalism demands community investment to preserve this essential public good.

You likely know that New Jersey is called the “Crossroads of the American Revolution” because of the pivotal role it played in the war, sitting between the British stronghold in

05/20/2026

We're hosting a free online webinar on Tuesday, May 26 at 12 PM ET: "How journalism collaboratives can track impact." You'll learn how to define an impact framework for your collaborative, measure your results, and report them to funders and partners. Registration is open — join us!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-journalism-collaboratives-can-track-impact-tickets-1988440464958?aff=oddtdtcreator

Learn how to define, measure and track the ways your journalism collaborative makes a difference in your community.

05/15/2026

Kathy Merritt receives first ever Keystone Collaborator Award - https://mailchi.mp/collaborativejournalism/second-cohort-of-collaboratives-starts-sustainability-coaching

05/07/2026

We are hosting a virtual press briefing on May 27, 2026, from 2:00-3:00 PM EDT to discuss how recent immigration enforcement changes are impacting New Jersey families and communities.

The briefing addresses two critical developments: new USCIS guidance requiring enhanced FBI background checks for millions of pending immigration applications—including asylum, green cards, and citizenship cases—that could significantly delay approvals and family reunification petitions, and ongoing Supreme Court arguments regarding efforts to end Temporary Protected Status for up to 1.3 million people from 17 countries.

Policy experts Oscar Chacón of Alianza Americas and Guerline M. Pierre of L.A.M.P. join the discussion to examine these developments' implications for immigrant families and provide guidance for reporters covering immigration issues with sensitivity and accuracy.

This event, part of the Not Your Same Old Sources series, offers journalists and community members essential insights into how federal immigration policies affect vulnerable populations in New Jersey.

Join us on Wednesday, 5/ 27, for a press briefing on how expanded security checks and U.S. Supreme Court decision on TPS uproot immigrants.

05/06/2026

A little more than a week to go before the 2026 Collaborative Journalism Summit! Here are some last-minute reminders and resources for your trip to Philly.

Just over a week before the Collaborative Journalism Summit! Here are some last-minute reminders and resources for your trip to Philly.

05/01/2026

Philadelphia journalism student responds to need for collaboration - https://mailchi.mp/collaborativejournalism/philadelphia-journalism-student-responds-to-need-for-collaboration

04/29/2026

📻 Newsroom Digest: Celebrating community and local media

PLUS: Recent updates from around the NJ local news ecosystem

PLUS: Recent updates from around the local news ecosystem