The GroundTruth Project

In his inaugural column on Substack, GroundTruth founder Charles Sennott examines the telling details of the first days of the Trump administration and how journalists should balance covering the controversies, with the larger impact that his policies will have. “To understand this moment, journalists will have to listen intently and get out to those red states, particularly disenfranchised rural communities and the abandoned counties of the rust belt, and hear what they are saying, “ Sennott wrote. “We have to sound them out on what they are anticipating Trump will do and then monitor whether they feel this presidency is delivering. We have to get down to the border to document those mass deportations and their impact on families and the important struggle for America to rationalize its immigration policy while not losing our soul as a nation of immigrants. We have to parse through every executive order he signed, and every foreign policy proposal he is putting forward and study their impact in the world. We have to get out there and report from the ground up. In other words, journalism has to do its job.” Read the full column here: https://lnkd.in/eR4M43zB #journalism #freepress

🗞️ A quick reminder for fans of local news. GroundTruth founder and editor-in-chief Charles Sennott will share his first newsletter on Substack tomorrow after joining the platform. Sign up to support local journalism today! #localnews #journalism #substack #newsletter https://lnkd.in/erf-W9aC

We’re thrilled to share some exciting news—our founder Charles Sennott’s GroundTruth newsletter has officially moved to Substack! [https://lnkd.in/erf-W9aC] This new platform will help Sennott raise greater awareness about the growing crisis in local journalism and build a coalition of supporters who believe in the importance of keeping local news alive. “I see our transition to Substack as my next big reporting project and a chance to go beyond the standard newsletter format and create a space for deeper connection, sharper storytelling, and more meaningful dialogue. A place where we can meet you where you are—where ideas flow freely and communities are built around shared values. It’s a space for thoughtful conversation at a time when too much of the media landscape feels chaotic and fractured,” Sennott wrote. Join Sennott’s GroundTruth newsletter on Substack as he continues his vital work of supporting local, on-the-ground journalism. #journalism #localnews #substack #newsletter #news #journalist https://lnkd.in/eY2v5K_T

The Awajún people, the second largest Indigenous group of Peru, are facing violence and exploitation from illegal mining operations and the expansion of mining concessions to outsiders. Report for the World newsroom partner Convoca went on the ground to uncover how the criminals' quest to mine gold from the riverbeds hinders the Awajún people’s ability to live in their ancestral territory free of contamination, violence, and exploitation and how they are responding to it—including organizing themselves into self-defense groups. “We have no choice but to organize ourselves and not allow any more deaths of our leaders”, Jammer Manihuari, vice-coordinator of the Coordinadora de las Organizaciones Indígenas de la Cuenca Amazónica (COICA), told Convoca. ‘Illegal mining works with hired killings, and since there is no state presence or police presence, no one can guarantee our lives.” In the last 11 years, 39 Peruvian environmental leaders have been murdered. https://lnkd.in/eeQVsFuX #peru #amazon #mining #localnews #indigenous

Together with our flagship programs Report for America and Report for the World, we are pleased to announce Rebecca Forman as our next Chief Development Officer! In this executive leadership role, Rebecca will oversee all fundraising efforts, cultivate key funder and partner relationships, and elevate our core programs and stories of impact. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/epHMA45r That’s not the only news: We’re recruiting a Director of Philanthropy and Grants Manager to work with Rebecca on the development initiatives that will fuel our continued growth and urgently needed impact. Apply today: https://lnkd.in/eZrz_9M

We’re looking for our next strategic communications leader to take the work of Report for America and Report for the World into the next chapter. Reporting to the CEO, our next Director of Brand Strategy and Communications will partner with program leaders and a team of communicators to elevate brand and thought leadership while driving program success. Entrepreneurial, energetic and creative professionals with 7-10 years experience are encouraged to apply: https://lnkd.in/eKw49bhB

Impact is at the heart of journalism. Newsrooms play a vital function in society by fostering transparency, exposing corruption, and ensuring accountability. Beyond just reporting news, journalists contextualize events, enabling citizens to make informed decisions about their lives. Last year in 2024, over 300 Report for America and Report for the World corps members demonstrated this idea through their reporting, playing an essential role in under-covered communities by amplifying critical local issues and holding public officials accountable. Before we get started with the work we are preparing for 2025, we highlighted some of the most impactful local stories from our corps members from 2024, celebrating the importance of local journalism at a time when it faces unprecedented challenges. https://lnkd.in/eDNNbGGV #impact #localnews #journalism #newsrooms #journalist #reporters #newyear

Local journalism matters. With your help, we’ve delivered vital reporting, amplified diverse voices, and supported newsroom innovation. 🕒 The clock is ticking... donate by midnight tonight and your gift will be doubled. Give now to #SupportLocalNews: bit.ly/giveGT24

The GroundTruth Project is celebrating and reflecting on some of the most impactful stories from our Report for America and Report for the World corps members during 2024 through two end-of-the-year story maps. For this week, storymap editor Alana Campbell highlighted some of our Report for America corps members' most memorable visual journalism that have made a difference in local communities nationwide. "The 2024 election cycle dominated public attention in the US, but Report for America photographers covered a tremendous breadth of stories," writes Ben Brody, director of photography at Report for America. "From covering the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in rural North Carolina to the hidden world of immigrants who live and work inside a shuttering horse racing track in Berkeley, our photographers dig deep to represent their communities fairly and thoroughly." https://lnkd.in/e_bY62ss #newyear #reflection #journalism #localnews #photos #photojournalism #visualjournalism

🕒 Now’s the time to act! Every donation made by Dec. 31 will be matched dollar-for-dollar, so your gift can go twice as far. Together, we can support on-the-ground journalism in 2025 and beyond. bit.ly/giveGT24