Spotlight PA’s new bureau means more local news for Centre Daily Times readers
Just about a year ago, the Centre Daily Times joined as one of Spotlight PA’s partners. We were excited to start sharing Spotlight’s watchdog journalism with our readers — stories that have kept our readers informed about what’s happening in Harrisburg and held leaders accountable.
The response was immediate and has been consistent: Readers value Spotlight’s tremendous work and the way it complements the CDT’s mission to bring you essential news and information.
Part of our mission — and part of our challenge — is to get you more of the news that matters most. That’s why I’m thrilled about the announcement that Spotlight PA will launch a bureau based in State College.
This is a historic moment for Centre County’s local news landscape, an infusion of resources to enhance coverage across our vast county. The bureau will include an investigative reporter assigned to cover Penn State and a rural communities reporter and photographer dedicated to areas where we frequently hear that more attention is due.
It comes at a time when the CDT is also adding reporting resources. Reporter Keely Doll joined us at the beginning of January, and the education beat has been keeping her busy these past weeks. We will soon hire a service journalism reporter that will work to help readers navigate life in central Pennsylvania, part of a regional team with sister McClatchy publications. And this summer, we will welcome our first full-time news intern, with a focus on growth and development issues. That internship was made possible in part through generous contributions from readers and supporters of local journalism.
Most are aware that newsrooms have shrunk in size over the past decade-plus, which is part of the reason Spotlight PA and other important nonprofit newsrooms formed to help fill a void. The need for thorough reporting on issues vital to all areas of our community over that same period hasn’t changed — it’s only become more urgent.
Partnerships are more important than ever for local news sources. Luckily for us, we have a strong, trusted and dedicated partner in Spotlight PA.
What does it all mean for the CDT? In short, it means more local news. We’ll continue to run Spotlight PA’s investigations into Pennsylvania government and statewide issues. Readers will also be able to find all of the work from the Spotlight PA State College bureau at CentreDaily.com and in our print edition. We also look forward to collaborating and sharing expertise on impactful stories about life in central Pennsylvania.
Please join me in welcoming Spotlight PA and its team of journalists to our strong media landscape. To learn more, donate and sign up for updates on the initiative, visit www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege.