Central Valley Journalism Collaborative

The State of Local Journalism

in the Central Valley

Local news coverage is essential to the future of the Central Valley, a diverse home to over 7.5 million people across nearly 20,000 square miles speaking 105 languages.

Launched by the James B. McClatchy Foundation (JBMF) in 2021, the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative (CVJC) is a new nonprofit infrastructure dedicated to keeping public service journalism thriving in California’s Central Valley, despite the collapse of the traditional media industry over the last 15 years, and the outright demise of independent, local news in many communities. JBMF is establishing this new journalism collaborative to fortify First Amendment press freedoms and strengthen diversity in journalism, both core to the Foundation’s own mission and vision. 

A new platform for maintaining local journalism in the Central Valley is required and possible. Preserving civil society, empowering community opportunity, and protecting our constitutional rights all require a vibrant local press. Download the Feasibility Report on Developing a Central Valley Journalism Collaborative from JBMF to understand the risk of losing local journalism in the Central Valley.