Since 2015, Google and our partners have trained more than 400,000 journalists around the world. Last year in the United States through the Google News Initiative, our training was focused on giving journalists the tools necessary to cover the 2020 presidential election. This year, we’re continuing our training efforts with our trusted partners to train a diverse range of journalists across the U.S. in digital skills, media literacy and skills in covering marginalized communities.

In partnership with the Society of Professional Journalists, the Native American Journalists Association, the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Asian American Journalists Association, we’ll be training professional and student journalists on tools like Google Trends and Pinpoint, as well as relying on the expertise of our association partners to help connect journalists of color to valuable training resources. With the help of NAHJ, our training materials will also be translated into Spanish.

Cultural competency in reporting will be a key aspect of the trainings our partners lead, because true diversity needs to include not only who is telling the story, but also how the story is told. As part of our ongoing partnership, the Native American Journalists Association will also be creating an Indigenous Media Directory, which will connect journalists and readers to indigenous-led outlets. 

“As we shifted our approach from in-person to virtual during the pandemic, we were able to deliver training to more tribal media and mainstream newsrooms and connect with members and allies across Indian Country from Alaska to New York to Winnipeg,” says Rebecca Landsbury-Baker, Executive Director of NAJA. “We are grateful for the continued support of this important work under the NAJA Red Press Initiative.”

To learn more about our training network and resources and to request a newsroom training, visit our training center website.

In March, just as I was finalizing the webpage for the Google News Initiative Fellowship program, much of the United States—and the world—went into lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Offices, including my own, closed and employees began working from home. Businesses shut their doors. Colleges sent students home to continue their studies virtually.

For students and recent graduates, a summer that was supposed to be spent taking classes, studying abroad or starting their first post-grad job turned into one of uncertainty. Many summer internships were deferred or altogether canceled due to the virus. Every industry has been impacted by the coronavirus, including the news media, which is vital in spreading important information about not only the pandemic, but also the upcoming election. 

For me, delaying the program was not an option, especially because a lack of newsroom diversity can negatively impact coverage of the pandemic and racial unrest. Though nothing can necessarily replace an in-person experience, we decided to add a remote option for the program, giving fellows the flexibility to work from home or the host newsroom if it is safe to do so. 

We received 476 applications for nine fellowship slots, which speaks to the unprecedented demand for these opportunities for aspiring journalists of color. 

“There can be no excellence without diversity — in local news especially, there's a responsibility to speak to the issues and experiences of the (diverse) community you serve,” Ana Ta, who will be working at the Houston Press, told me. “My time working in local journalism has taught me to value my perspective as an Vietnamese Houstonian, and I'm excited and grateful for this opportunity with the GNI to tell the stories of my city.”

For Luis Méndez, who will be joining La Noticia, the fellowship is not just an opportunity for himself. “I want to be an example for boys and girls and show them that it doesn't matter if you are from a small island called Puerto Rico, opportunities like these are possible with perseverance, passion and commitment,” he says.

Our selected Fellows all have different backgrounds and experiences, but two things they all have in common is the desire to help make American newsrooms look more like the audiences they cover and to tell the stories of communities that have been ignored for far too long.

“Ever since I was young, I've been passionate about pursuing journalism because I knew that it might grant me an opportunity to serve as a representative voice for communities and people who feel as if they don't have one,” said Isthmusfellow Tamia Fowlkes. “I  feel so honored and excited to participate in this program and I hope it will work to amplify and encourage diversity both in the news and writing it."

To learn more about all of our 2020 Google News Initiative Fellows and follow their work, visit our Fellowship website.

When I was in college, I was lucky enough to land one of the few paid internships available. I interned at CNN for their morning shows, heading into the Manhattan office at midnight— sometimes after working eight hours at my job at a bank. My shift usually ended at 8 a.m., after which I would head to my 10 a.m. class. 

It was certainly difficult—and exhausting—juggling a full-time course load, an internship, and working 30 hours a week. The internship gave me valuable experience and the connections to get my foot in the door at my first post-grad job. But I wouldn’t have been able to do the internship if it was unpaid, which is the case for many students who come from low-income backgrounds. Taking an unpaid internship at the expense of working is not practical or economically possible, leaving them at a disadvantage for a career in journalism down the road.

At this challenging time for the news industry, the Google News Initiative is launching its Fall fellowship program to ensure that students don’t have to choose between supporting themselves and pursuing their future careers. We launched the fellowship program in 2013 in North America for students interested in working at the intersection of technology, media, and journalism. The program has since expanded into 12 regions around the world.

Lack of internship and fellowship opportunities contributes to why many U.S. newsrooms don’t reflect the communities they cover. Less than a quarter of newsroom employees identify as a person of color, compared to the U.S. population (24 percent). When it comes to newsroom leadership, the number iseven lower. This has significant consequences: a 2014 study found that a majority of African-American and Latino news consumers didn’t trust the way their communities were portrayed in the media. With protests occurring around the U.S. due to police brutality and racial injustice, a diverse newsroom is even more essential to produce balanced, comprehensive and representative news coverage. 

With the help of the National Newspapers Publishers Association, the National Association of Hispanic Publishers, and the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, we’ve designed the fall program to address the barriers of access that students and graduates of color face when trying to get into the industry. 

The 10 to 12 week program is paid and selected fellows will also receive a travel stipend. All fellows, who will have the opportunity to work remotely, will be selected by nine host newsrooms: Eugene Weekly, Houston Press, Isthmus, al Día en America, La Noticia, Vida Newspaper, the Washington Informer, the Omaha Star and the NNPA Newsroom. Fellows will have the opportunity to work on editorial, revenue, and technology projects at the host publications. 

Applications close August, 1, 2020 at midnight Pacific Time. For full application requirements, visit the fellowship website here.