As part of the Detroit Journalism Cooperative, Michigan Radio will extend its exploration of Detroit’s financial issues and engage citizens in finding solutions to challenges facing the city. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has agreed to provide an additional $500,000 in support for the five nonprofit news partners in the project throughout 2015 and 2016.
Launched at the beginning of 2014, the Detroit Journalism Cooperative reports and creates community engagement opportunities around Detroit’s municipal bankruptcy and revitalization. A unique news-sharing project, the cooperative focuses on engagement and enterprise, explanatory and solutions-oriented journalism. It connects the voices of Detroit’s residents with the watchdog coverage needed to help citizens better solve their individual and collective issues. It seeks to inspire dialogue and improved public policy to increase Detroit’s chances of recovery.
Detroit Journalism Cooperative partners include Michigan Radio, Detroit Public Television (DPTV), WDET, New Michigan Media and the Center for Michigan’s Bridge Magazine. In its first year, the Detroit Journalism Cooperative partners published dozens of stories and special reports as the city weaved its way through the largest municipal bankruptcy in United States history.
“Detroit’s continued success hinges on engaging residents to contribute to its growth and be part of the reinvention of the city,” said Katy Locker, Knight Foundation program director for Detroit. “By better informing people and opening avenues for them to help solve some of the challenges facing our city, the cooperative is helping to secure a brighter future for Detroit.”
As Detroit has emerged from municipal bankruptcy, Detroit Journalism Cooperative coverage has shifted to focus intensely on life, challenges and opportunities in the city’s many neighborhoods. Michigan Radio’s stories as part of the Detroit Journalism Cooperative can be found here. Ongoing coverage from all of the partners appears in the cooperative’s blog at www.nextchapterdetroit.com.
