Ben Austin

Jeff Watts

REGIONAL—The Timberjay is pleased to announce that it has hired journalist Ben Austin through its partnership with Report for America. Ben is one of 78 journalists that Report for America is helping to place in U.S. newsrooms as part of the organization’s latest effort to strengthen local news in communities across the country.
“These journalists represent hope: a new generation committed to local news reporting that helps people better understand their communities and one another,” said Kim Kleman, executive director at Report for America. “Our model is designed not only to place talented reporters where they are needed most, but also to deepen community trust and build a more sustainable future for local news.”
The incoming corps members were selected from a competitive pool of more than 1,600 applicants, ensuring top talent for the 73 newsrooms that will welcome these reporters. Report for America’s newsroom partners go through an equally competitive process each year.
The corps members will begin their assignments in July and report on a range of communities and community-informed issues that, in many cases, have never received dedicated coverage. Ben will be focused on local government reporting in our region.
Ben, who grew up in Duluth, knows northeastern Minnesota well and is an avid outdoors enthusiast. He recently completed a BA in journalism and a minor in data science from American University in Washington, D.C. During his college career, Ben served as a writer, editor, and photographer for the American Way of Life, the student newspaper there, completing investigative stories, photo essays, and multi-media projects. He also served a five-month internship at the Natural Resources Research Institute in Duluth, where he interviewed, photographed, and wrote about the researchers working at the UMD-affiliated center.
“These corps members are entering communities with curiosity, rigor and a deep commitment to listening,” said Earl Johnson, vice president of recruitment and alumni engagement at Report for America. “They will cover issues that too often go underreported while building meaningful relationships with the communities they serve.” 
The incoming cohort of Report for America corps members are a remarkably diverse group of individuals, hailing from 42 states and Puerto Rico. Nearly half are people of color and more than 60 percent are women. More than a quarter of the journalists placed this year by Report for America will be serving in rural communities.
The incoming journalists bring Report for America’s current, active reporter corps to 200, with 122 continuing their service into their second or third year. 
“Our model is built around a simple but powerful idea: when you invest in journalists, you invest in stronger communities,” said Jason Blakeney, director of corps and newsroom excellence at Report for America. “We support corps members with training, mentorship and professional development while helping newsroom partners build long-term sustainability around local reporting. The result is journalism that serves communities now while helping strengthen the future of local news.”
With this incoming cohort, Report for America will have matched more than 800 journalists with local newspapers, public radio stations, digital platforms, and television outlets across the country since its launch in 2017. To learn more about Report for America and its efforts to rewrite the story of local news one community at a time, please visit www.reportforamerica.org.