Columbia Journalism Review takes out-of-work journos on as fellows

Posted by Jennifer Lush on October 16, 2009 at 3:20 PM

The Columbia Journalism Review has announced it will launch a progam called the 'Encore Fellowship', a new initiative designed to give 'downsized professionals a writing position as well as support to help them choose how best to use their experience in the years ahead.'

The fellowship proposition comes in tough times for the news industry which has suffered major financial blows in advertising and subscription revenue due to the recession. The losses have forced many news organisations to rethink costs, make layoffs and even close their doors in some cases. As a result, it has been estimated that some 16,000 journalists were put out of work in 2008.

After receiving a generous grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies, CJR decided to put the money toward helping some of these journalists, choosing out-of-work senior reporters 'who have recently left their jobs because of the industry's economic condition, but who are not ready for traditional retirement,' to join the fellowship.

The magazine announced it had selected its inaugural journalists today, naming Lisa Anderson, formerly a correspondent for the Chicago Tribune; Jill Drew, an ex-associate editor for The Washington Post; Terry McDermott, previously a reporter for the Los Angeles Times and Don Terry who was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for the New York Times series "How Race is Lived in America", as the first four. The selected reporters will receive "stipends on par with other important journalism fellowships," stated a CJR press release.

"CJR is thrilled to be able to play a critical role not only in assisting these distinguished journalists, but our hope is that they will inspire downsized journalists across the county, who will benefit from the examples set by this inaugural class of fellows in developing their encore careers," said Victor Navasky, chairman of the Columbia Journalism Review.

Editors of the review said: "We hope this innovative program inspires other foundations and other organizations to set up "Encore" programs of their own, to take advantage of the vast pool of journalist talent that is out there."

Source: Columbia Journalism Review