WSJ launches financial reporting fellowship with CUNY and NAHJ

Wall Street Journal editor in chief Matt Murray, managing editor Karen Pensiero and senior vice president Brent Jones sent out the following on Thursday:

Dear Colleagues,

We’re excited to announce today The WSJ Finance Reporting Fellowship, a new outreach program in partnership with The City University of New York’s (CUNY) Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Two participants will be selected for the 12-month fellowship and embedded in our Finance and Life & Work coverage teams. They’ll start in late January.

The Journal will accept applications now through Oct. 24 for this program as we advance newsroom diversity, expand on existing newsroom talent program opportunities and strengthen our relationships with many communities. We especially look forward to engaging journalists of diverse backgrounds who are interested in covering markets and personal finance.

We know from gains in building audiences with coverage of finance that we can successfully grow and engage audiences in critical reporting areas. The program will provide participants with year-long markets and personal finance reporting experience and include competitive pay and benefits. Fellows will also be supported with mentors and customized sessions, such as covering markets, as well as enjoy full access to our newsroom’s robust training curriculum.

Program goals include:

• Welcoming into our newsroom more journalists with diverse backgrounds who are curious and excited about how we can cover finance.
• Identifying and potentially hiring journalists who add fresh perspectives on how we report on the markets and money.
• Supporting, over time, efforts to scale up coverage when there’s keen interest in a specific topic.

We believe our efforts alongside key partner organizations will help to build community in our newsroom and beyond. We also look forward to what we’ll learn from each other in the weeks and months ahead. If you have any questions about this new diversity outreach initiative, email newstraining@wsj.com.

Matt, Brent & Karen