First Amendment Reporting Fellow

Central Valley Journalism Collaborative | Location: Fresno, California

The Central Valley Journalism Collaborative (CVJC) is seeking a talented journalist to cover one of the most important beats in American news: the First Amendment.

This fellowship is made possible through a partnership between CVJC, Journalism Funding Partners, and the Institute for Media and Public Trust at Fresno State. It is a grant-funded position based in Fresno with a statewide mandate. First Amendment freedoms (speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition) are under scrutiny across California and the country in ways that affect people's everyday lives. The fellow will report on the full range of those issues: what's at stake, who's affected, and why it matters. The work will reach a statewide audience, distributed through CVJC's own platforms and a continually expanding network of partner newsrooms across California.

This is a significant opportunity for an enterprising journalist who wants impact and reach. It comes with real institutional support, including a dedicated student researcher from California State University, Fresno, who will assist with background and data research. This partnership connects the fellowship to the intellectual resources of one of the Valley's leading universities.

CVJC has existing partnerships with public radio stations in Fresno and Sacramento, and the fellow will make regular on-air appearances as part of the role. There is also potential to develop a podcast around the beat, making this an opportunity for a journalist who thinks in multiple formats and wants to build an audience across platforms.

What you'll do

• Cover the full spectrum of First Amendment issues (speech, press, religion, assembly, petition) with a California focus, producing stories that are clear, fair, and consequential.
• Report accountability journalism that holds power to account and drives real change.
• Provide context and analysis on complex legal and policy issues, helping audiences understand what's at stake and how it affects their lives.
• Collaborate with reporters and editors across CVJC's statewide partner network on coverage where First Amendment issues intersect with politics, public records, protest, and censorship.
• Bring a digital mindset to the beat, using emerging tools, alternative story formats, video, audio, and social media to reach audiences where they are.
• Make regular appearances on CVJC's public radio partners in Fresno and Sacramento, and contribute to potential podcast development around the beat.
• Engage with communities throughout California, in person and online, through source-building that reflects the diversity of the people we serve.

What we're looking for

• A journalist with a track record of accountability reporting and a passion for storytelling.
• The ability to write smart, context-rich stories across platforms and deliver them on deadline.
• Experience with video and social media storytelling.
• Audio experience and comfort on-air, a significant plus.
• A collaborative spirit and comfort working across a network of newsrooms.
• A genuine commitment to community engagement and representative sourcing.

Details

• Location: Fresno, California, with statewide coverage
• Term: Two-year fellowship, with additional years likely depending on continued funding
• Compensation: $75,000-$90,000, commensurate with experience

Benefits

• Medical
• Vision
• Dental
• Life Insurance
• Retirement Contribution

About the organizations

About the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative 

The Central Valley Journalism Collaborative (CVJC) is the hub for local news in and for the Central Valley. A Fresno-based nonprofit, CVJC strengthens and expands trustworthy local news by supporting media and journalists, identifying and advocating for regional media needs, and producing original news. Our platforms include The Merced FOCUS, The Modesto Focus, and The Intersection, a health equity reporting lab, alongside a growing network of independent partner newsrooms throughout the region.

About Journalism Funding Partners 

Journalism Funding Partners (JFP) is a nonprofit with the mission to increase the depth, diversity, and sustainability of local journalism by building and stewarding connections between funders and news organizations. JFP works as a bridge between philanthropy and local news, enabling major gifts to newsrooms, providing fundraising guidance to journalism professionals, and supporting broad community giving to local journalism.

About the Institute for Media and Public Trust at Fresno State 

The Institute for Media and Public Trust at Fresno State works to bridge the trust gap between news consumers and media outlets, promote news literacy, and find practical solutions to the challenges facing journalism today. Founded in 2018 and housed in the Department of Media, Communications and Journalism, the Institute's work is guided by the First Amendment and focuses on strengthening the relationship between an informed public and a free press.