CatchLight Local Fellowship

CatchLight Local is a fellowship program launched in 2019 that places full-time visual journalists in local newsrooms to address visual news deserts and newsroom staffing cuts, particularly among visual journalists. The program partners with newsrooms to provide inclusive, in-depth, accurate, and locally contextualized visual information to the public.

Geographic Scope: United States (currently serving newsrooms in Chicago and California, with plans to expand nationally)

Focus Areas:

• Visual journalism in local newsrooms
• Community-based visual storytelling
• Local news coverage with visual-first practices
• Audience engagement and building

Program Model:
The CatchLight Local program includes:

1. Fellowship Component: Placement of full-time visual journalists (Local Fellows) in partner newsrooms
2. Visual Desk Support: The CatchLight Local Visual Desk provides dedicated editorial support and training to newsroom members to integrate visual-first practices for higher engagement and audience building

Impact to Date:

• Since launch in 2019, the CatchLight Local Visual Desk has served 16 local newsrooms in Chicago and across California
• Together producing award-winning visual coverage of local communities and issues
• Plans to expand nationally

Program Goals:

• Establish long-term sustainability of visual journalism
• Address critical need of communities to see themselves better represented in local news outlets
• Support visual journalists creating that work

Contact & More Information: Visit catchlight.io/local for more details about the model, team, and ways to get involved

Supported By: Press Forward and MacArthur Foundation (three-year investment to revitalize visual journalism)

Organization: CatchLight is a visual-first media organization that leverages the power of visual storytelling to inform, connect, and transform communities. Tax ID: #27-1912845