Connecticut Public Selected as a Report for America Newsroom to Focus on Critical Climate and Environment Coverage
HARTFORD [January 6, 2025] - Connecticut Public is proud to announce its selection as a Report for America (RFA) newsroom partner starting in 2025. This program will support the addition of an environment and climate change reporter dedicated to exploring how climate change is transforming Connecticut’s landscapes, communities, and livelihoods.
This new reporter will be an essential resource for addressing a critical gap in local journalism. In a state renowned for its forests, rivers, coastline, and outdoor lifestyle, residents are increasingly concerned about the tangible effects of climate change. Rising sea levels, more frequent and severe storms, historic flooding events, and degraded water and air quality are challenges Connecticut communities are grappling with today.
Vanessa de la Torre, Chief Content Officer of Connecticut Public said, “Climate change and its effect on our environment— in Connecticut and throughout New England— is of high interest to the communities we serve. This new position allows us to expand our coverage and report more stories of impact, informing and empowering communities as they face one of the defining issues of our time.”
The environment and climate change reporter will focus on producing in-depth and accessible stories where policies and personal experiences intersect. Special attention will be given to issues of environmental racism and disparities that disproportionately affect communities of color, as well as income inequalities exacerbated by environmental challenges.
Additionally, this reporter will engage in solutions-oriented reporting, highlighting innovations and strategies aimed at mitigating climate change while celebrating the beauty and resilience of Connecticut’s natural and human ecosystems. Stories will be featured across Connecticut Public’s radio, digital platforms, and social media channels.
As the lead station for the New England News Collaborative — a 10-station regional journalism network where climate and environment are signature topics —Connecticut Public’s climate stories will also reach audiences across New England.
“This role allows us to deepen our reporting on a very urgent issue and bring to light stories that matter to Connecticut’s communities,” added Eric Aasen, Executive Editor at Connecticut Public. “As a newsroom, we strive to connect people with information that inspires action and understanding. This reporter will strengthen our ability to serve our audience with impactful, solutions-oriented journalism while helping tell these stories in ways that resonate locally and across the region.”
About Connecticut Public
Connecticut Public is home to Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) and Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR). Together, Connecticut Public serves more than one million people each week through Connecticut Public Radio and Connecticut Public Television, as well as through our many digital and online platforms, including ctpublic.org. Through our mission to inform, educate and inspire the people of Connecticut, we connect people of all ages to high-quality journalism, storytelling, education and experiences, and amplify the voices of our diverse communities. Connecticut Public’s main offices are located in Hartford, CT with studios at Gateway Community College in New Haven, CT as well as Fairfield University in Fairfield, CT. Connecticut Public is also sole owner of the for-profit MediaVision Creative agency in Norwalk, CT. Connecticut Public is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with a $22 million annual budget, funded primarily through community support from individuals, foundations and corporate sponsors.
About Report For America
Report for America is a national service program that places talented emerging journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered topics and communities across the United States and its territories. By creating a new, sustainable model for journalism, Report for America provides people with the information they need to improve their communities, hold powerful institutions accountable, and restore trust in the media. Report for America is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, an award-winning nonprofit journalism organization dedicated to rebuilding journalism from the ground up.