In a continued effort to combat the crisis in local news, Report for America has announced the placement of 107 journalists in newsrooms across the United States. This marks a 31% increase from initial plans and brings the total active corps to 187 journalists, including 14 CatchLight photojournalism Fellows.
“These journalists are stepping into an essential role at a critical time,” said Kim Kleman, executive director of Report for America. “Our model—connecting talented reporters with local newsrooms—is restoring trust and delivering vital coverage to underrepresented communities.”
This year’s incoming class was selected from over 1,300 applicants, with more than half of the 101 participating newsrooms being first-time partners. The corps reflects a strong commitment to diversity:
- Journalists hail from 34 states and Puerto Rico
- 50% identify as people of color
- 60% are women
Their reporting will focus on a wide range of under-covered topics—from faith and culture in Alabama to Black Wall Street in Tulsa and missing Indigenous people in the Northern Plains. Over one-third will cover communities of color and immigrant populations, while nearly a quarter will focus on rural America.
“We’re proud to support a cohort that reflects the communities they’ll serve,” said Earl Johnson, vice president of recruitment and alumni engagement. “Their work will make a lasting impact.”
Report for America is also tripling its photography corps through an expanded partnership with CatchLight, which helps strengthen visual journalism in local newsrooms.
With this new cohort, the program has now placed over 750 journalists in local media outlets since its launch in 2017. “Our three-year support model helps newsrooms build sustainable reporting teams,” said Jason Blakeney, director of corps and newsroom excellence. Notably, 82% of alumni remain in journalism after completing the program.
For more information and to view the full list of 2025–26 corps members and their newsroom placements, visit reportforamerica.org.