Institute for Media and Public Trust launches health reporting fellowship

The Institute for Media and Public Trust at Fresno State launched a health reporting fellowship dedicated to uncovering and documenting the persistent health inequities faced by residents of the San Joaquin Valley, one of California’s most underserved regions. 

By spotlighting these disparities, the fellowship seeks to drive awareness, inform public policy and empower the community with critical information about their health and well-being.

Veteran journalist Tim Sheehan, known for extensively reporting Central California’s most pressing issues, will serve as the inaugural fellow. Additionally, a Fresno State journalism student will act as a research assistant, providing critical support while gaining valuable, hands-on experience in investigative health journalism.

Jim Boren, executive director of the Institute for Media and Public Trust at Fresno State, said this fellowship has long been a cornerstone goal of the institute.

“This program not only elevates in-depth reporting in the Valley’s journalism landscape but also advances our mission to strengthen local journalism,” Boren said. “By including a student journalist in the program, we’re also fostering the next generation of reporters and enhancing the pipeline of young talent entering the field.”

The Central Valley Journalism Collaborative will house the journalism fellow in its newsroom, and all work produced through the fellowship will be available at no charge to news outlets in the Central Valley.

“This health care reporting fellowship will get to the root of health care access issues in the region, including our health safety net system for vulnerable communities, primary and specialty care availability and the present and future workforce realities,” said Alma Martinez, executive director of the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative. “The coverage produced by this unique project will shine a light on the issues that have for many years been left out of the headlines.”

The fellowship is made possible through the generous support of The California Endowment, the California Health Care Foundation, the James B. McClatchy Foundation and the Institute for Media and Public Trust. Their shared commitment to equitable health access and high-quality journalism underscores the importance of this endeavor.

In addition to the health care fellowship, the Institute for Media and Public Trust also conducts training programs for student and professional journalists, funds a journalism training program for students of color, works to bridge the trust gap between news consumers and news outlets and hosts seminars and public programs on misinformation challenges on the internet.