Fresno State’s Institute for Media and Public Trust and Valley Public Radio, KVPR, have formalized a long history of collaboration with a new partnership that aims to promote hands-on student learning and news literacy and bridge the trust gap between news consumers and local media. As part of the agreement, at least one Media, Communications and Journalism student per semester will have the opportunity to intern in KVPR’s news department with the goal of expanding the student journalism to local media pipeline.
“Through internships, mentorships and potential future reporting positions, our students will have the chance to work alongside seasoned professionals, strengthen their journalistic skills and contribute meaningful stories to our community,” said Jim Boren, executive director of the Institute for Media and Public Trust. “This partnership represents an important step in preparing the next generation of journalists to serve the Central Valley with integrity, curiosity and a commitment to public service.”
KVPR President and General Manager Joe Moore spoke about the partnership: “I’m a Fresno State graduate (1996), and many of our staff members are also Fresno State graduates. We restarted our student internship program earlier this year, and our first intern, Samantha Rangel, is now a part-time reporter in our newsroom,” Moore said. “We look forward to continuing to build our local talent pipeline by working with the Institute for Media and Public Trust and Fresno State’s Department of Media, Communications and Journalism.”
The institute and KVPR will also collaborate on media and audience research, support professional development opportunities for working journalists and host public events and broadcasts that aim to deepen the public’s understanding of issues related to media literacy, journalism ethics and practices. In addition, KVPR will distribute content from the institute’s health journalism fellowship.
