WMAZ, the Tegna-owned CBS affiliate in Macon, Georgia is teaming up with Mercer Univeristy for Collaborative Journalism and the Knight foundation.
The partnership puts $2 million dollars towards expanding local news reporting, enhancing the school’s journalism education model and increasing community engagement initiative. The grant will also allow the Center to employee a full-time reporter who will also produce stories for WMAZ and students to produce local news stories that will appear on-air and 13WMAZ.com.
“Like the Center and Knight Foundation, we believe that quality, trusted, fact-based journalism can make a difference and serve the greater good. It is our hope that through this partnership, students feel better prepared to start their journalism careers while understanding the important role we play in our communities,” said Jeff Dudley, WMAZ president and general manger.
Support for Mercer’s Center for Collaborative Journalism is part of Knight Foundation’s efforts to advance excellence in journalism and journalism education, and to help news organizations inform people in communities of all sizes through experimentation, innovation and leadership.