When regulators gave the green light to the Comcast-NBC deal earlier this year, the two companies made a commitment to collaborate with local non-profit news organizations. The idea stemmed from KNSD’s relationship with Voice of San Diego, and today NBC announced it’s opening the application process to find at least four more non-profit partners in markets with NBC owned-and-operated stations.
Through the arrangement, local NBC stations gain access to editorial diversity and new sources of content. The non-profits gain exposure, and both organizations cross-promote each other.
“The VoiceofSanDiego.org staff includes some of the most dedicated news professionals I’ve ever worked with,” commented Greg Dawson, KNSD’s News Director. “Since we began working with VoiceofSanDiego.org in 2006 we’ve collaborated on everything from investigative reporting to news production, and we’ve been able to deliver some great stories through both our broadcast and VoiceofSanDiego.org’s news site.”
The partnership is a great opportunity for non-profits like Bay Citizen and the Texas Tribune. Meanwhile, for-profit news organizations do not qualify, which is a little disappointing for dozens of high-quality news startups that otherwise would fit the bill — and just like non-profits, struggle for survival.
Interested non-profits can find links to application forms here.
(Full disclosure: I work at msnbc.com, and I co-founded a for-profit news startup in Seattle, which is not a city with a participating NBC station.)