San Francisco Public Press (https://www.sfpublicpress.org/category/from-the-newsroom/page/6/)
Starting this fall, the Public Press is reporting on new and creative solutions to homelessness. And because we know we don’t have all the answers, we’re engaging the community to gather fresh ideas and inspire action.
Updated with additional links on Oct. 16, 2017. Dear readers,
The North Bay fires are the most important story in our region this week. And the rescue, recovery and rebuilding efforts that will emerge from this devastation will dominate headlines and draw our collective attention for months and years to come. As you know, the San Francisco Public Press focuses on long-term, local in-depth investigations.
In the Summer 2017 issue of the San Francico Public Press, we examine the city’s efforts to help homeless people through initiatives in place for years and ones that are expanding under the new Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. Some are experimental, which can be challenging for the people seeking services and for those trying to administer them while working out policy kinks.
The California Teachers Association honored the San Francisco Public Press with a John Swett Award for Media Excellence on Friday, June 2. Jeremy Adam Smith, who was the lead reporter for the special report on bilingual schools, attended the awards ceremony in Los Angeles. This is the third time the Public Press has received a John Swett Award for education reporting led by Smith. Left to right: United Educators of San Francisco President Lita Blanc, CTA Vice President Theresa Montano, Jeremy Adam Smith, CTA State Council Communications Committee Chair Mona Davidson, CTA President Eric Heins and CTA Secretary-Treasurer David Goldberg. Photo courtesy of California Teachers Association.
Our newsroom editing team works with dozens of freelance reporters, editors, photographers, illustrators, designers and interns to guide our in-depth stories uncovering public policy problems and investigating solutions. Michael Winter, Senior Editor
“Vietnam, Nixon and Watergate had exhausted the country, and Jimmy Carter was president when I wandered into journalism, first in college radio, then newspapers. Since then, I’ve reported, edited, blogged, done press checks; worked at major metro and national dailies; helped get SF Weekly off the ground; helped publish a magazine; adopted early to digital news; taught editing; trained staffs overseas. I’ve been part of the Public Press since Day One. “My role in the newsroom is to make writers’ lives difficult, unfortunately.
“Local journalism matters. The Public Press is a standout example of a team that doesn’t compromise in their mission to hold local government to account. At the same time, they approach their job of informing citizens with an openness to think outside the box and cut through the noise that overwhelms media consumers today.”
— Kaizar Campwala
Kaizar is the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Al Jazeera Digital, where he is launching a new, audio-focused media brand later this year. He previously helped develop CALmatters, which he helped develop from an idea to a fully-funded operation as president and co-founder. The Sacramento-based reporting venture focuses on explaining the policy and politics of California state government.
The San Francisco Public Press is looking for enthusiastic news ambassadors for our community outreach team. Are you interested? Do you know someone we should hire? This job entails selling or giving away newspapers at public events and outdoor venues with high foot traffic, canvassing and introducing the Public Press to new audiences. We will need people days and evenings during the week, and during the day on weekends.
Thank you to the 40+ people who showed up last Thursday for our community meeting to discuss ideas for a start-up radio venture in San Francisco! The background: The San Francisco Public Press is exploring the possibility of setting up a new low-power FM radio station after winning a permit from Federal Communications Commission to broadcast on the frequency 102.5 FM. We have 18 months (renewable for an additional 18 months) to move forward. We have a timeshare agreement with San Francisco Community Radio (formerly KUSF in Exile) for each group to get 12 hours a day on the same channel. What happened: In two hours on Thursday, we scratched the surface of what’s possible in terms of content creation, writing a set of shared values, seeking organizational partnerships and exploring new storytelling formats.
The San Francisco Public Press received two new grants this summer for investigative reporting projects: a $3,000 grant from the Fund for Investigative Journalism for follow-up reporting on sea level rise in the Bay Area — the focus of our investigative report in Issue No. 17 — and a $10,000 grant from Cal Humanities for an education reporting project. This is the Public Press’ first grant from Cal Humanities and its fifth grant from the Fund for Investigative Journalism. We are grateful to Cal Humanities and the Fund for Investigative Journalism for their support.
On July 26, 2016 the Federal Communications Commission granted a broadcast license to the San Francisco Public Press for a low-power FM (LPFM) radio station on the frequency 102.5 FM. The station will be on air seven days a week, 12 hours a day, in two six-hour blocks.The frequency will be shared with another nonprofit organization, San Francisco Community Radio. The two organizations intend to collaborate on building a transmitter in San Francisco that will reach most households in the city and possibly reach parts of the Peninsula and the East Bay. For the time being the plan is to maintain two separate studios. Our aim is to start broadcasting within 18 months.
