While the coronavirus pandemic has slowed the nation’s economy to a crawl, indicators show that the toll will be greater in black and Latino communities. A collaboration between WFAE, Qcitymetro and The Charlotte Ledger will capture the economic impact of COVID-19 on these communities.
A $100,000 grant from the Facebook Journalism Project (FJP) will allow the three organizations to hire two reporters (one bilingual), contract for freelancers for data reporting and hold virtual town halls. The collaborators will also provide their content to other publications including Spanish-language newspaper La Noticia.
This combined effort will get minority communities the news they need as well as share their stories as part of Charlotte’s overall economic recovery from the pandemic.
According to the FJP website, $10.3 million was awarded to 144 U.S. local newsrooms as part of the COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Grant Program. The fund is supporting many publishers who are hardest hit by this crisis: nearly 80 percent of recipients are family- or independently owned and more than half are published by or for communities of color.
About WFAE
WFAE 90.7 FM is a nonprofit public radio station, licensed to the University Radio Foundation Inc. With 90.3 in Hickory, 106.1 in Laurinburg and 93.7 in Southern Pines, WFAE serves more than 320,000 monthly listeners and 200,000 monthly readers in the greater Charlotte region with an award-winning mix of local, national and international news, and entertainment programs from NPR® and other content partners. Listen online at WFAE.org.
About Qcitymetro
Qcitymetro.com is a news, business and culture platform for the black community in Charlotte, N.C. and surrounding areas. Qcitymetro promotes black excellence, social connectedness and civic engagement via an informed and collective voice online and in person.
About The Charlotte Ledger
The Charlotte Ledger is a business-oriented newsletter. It’s published by Tony Mecia, an award-winning former Charlotte Observer business writer and editor.