World-class Education/Real-world Journalism

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Climate Journalism Lab

In this time of wild weather and Increasing economic, political and social turbulence, how can journalists tell the climate story in a way that inspires people to practical, equitable and effective action?

To answer this question, Berkeley Journalism launched its Climate Journalism Lab in the fall semester of 2023. The Lab taps into the collective brainpower of UC Berkeley’s 300 climate researchers working in more than 20 programs across campus.

And through a partnership with UC Berkeley’s Rausser College of Natural Resources, the Lab connects cutting-edge research to dynamic original reporting, training scientists, researchers and journalists to produce science-informed, engaging journalism that serves a broad audience.

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California Local News and Editor Fellowships

Berkeley Journalism’s California Local News Fellowship program supports early career journalists working in local newsrooms, from Humboldt to San Bernardino.

Funded through a $25 million award from the state of California, the program is the largest state-level local news initiative in the nation.

Now, we’re getting ready to launch a new, companion California Editors Fellowship program to help fill the staffing and talent gap that so many newsrooms in the nation face. The editors fellowship will train cohorts of 6 to 10 mid-career journalists who are ready to make the jump from reporter to editor.

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California Statewide Police Misconduct Database

Berkeley Journalism’s Investigative Reporting Program (IRP) is not just the nation’s best investigative reporting training program. It’s also an award-winning newsroom of professional and student journalists that exposes injustice and abuse of power.

Now, the IRP is taking on what may be its largest and most complex assignment ever. In partnership with UC Berkeley’s new College of Computing, Data Science and Society, the IRP is turning raw data from hundreds of California police departments into a single statewide police misconduct database.

The goal is to give all Californians, along with researchers, journalists and elected officials, a tool to better understand patterns of police misconduct, and to hold police anywhere in the state accountable for their actions.