The way we see it, Grist is an emerging force in the world of environmental journalism and IPR has a decades-long track record of outstanding environmental coverage. So for us, saying "yes" was an easy decision.
And now, we're thrilled to announce an opening for Grist's Upper Great Lakes reporter.
Click here to see the job posting.
The new role is good news for both IPR listeners and Grist readers, who will learn more about an ecosystem that's crucial not just to Michigan, but the entire planet.
"It'll increase our capacity to do the kinds of reporting most important to people who look to public radio to explain what's going on in the world," said Peter Payette, IPR's executive director. "It also furthers our vision to be part of a news network that collectively meets the needs of the region and nation, rather than going it alone."
The position will focus on understanding and explaining the importance of the Upper Great Lakes to regional, national, and global ecosystems. We see a lot of stories here, ranging from the future of the controversial Line 5 pipeline to how agriculture in northern Michigan intersects with environmental concerns. And more.
And the new reporter will lean heavily on a solutions-based approach. This is a type of reporting that focuses on people who are working to address problems, whether those solutions are viable, and whether they can be scaled up to statewide or national levels. Solutions journalism, it should be said, is not advocacy. It just refocuses the reporting of a story on what could be done, rather than what's gone wrong.
The person who fills this role will file stories for local broadcast on IPR and publication on IPRnews.org, but also have their work shared with statewide and national audiences via other public radio stations and Grist's website and syndication partners.
"It's nice to be in the company of WBEZ [Chicago] and WABE [Atlanta]," Payette said, referring to other stations partnering with Grist in major media markets.
If you're an interested journalist, we hope you'll click here to learn more and apply. We're looking for someone with some experience in journalism, and while radio experience is preferred, it's not required.
If you're an interested listener, we hope you're as excited as we are about how this new position will further IPR's legacy of environmental journalism, and please stay tuned for the new reporter's contributions coming later this year. We're so grateful for your support.
