Puente News Collaborative

IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE ALARMING DECLINE OF NEWS OUTLETS ALONG THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER, UNDER THE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP OF THE EL PASO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, THE PUENTE NEWS COLLABORATIVE IS A NETWORK OF NEWSROOMS AND JOURNALISTS WORKING AS TRUSTED SOURCES FOR STORIES, REPORTS, AND COMMENTARY. THIS INNOVATIVE EFFORT PROVIDES HIGH-QUALITY, FACT-BASED NEWS AND INFORMATION ON BOTH SIDES OF THE EL PASO-CIUDAD JUREZ BORDER. 2023 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: -- CONTINUED SUPPORTING NEWS DEPARTMENT AND DAILY LOCAL NEWSCASTS AT KTEP, A PUBLIC RADIO STATION AND NPR AFFILIATE; -- CONTINUED FUNDING OF A PART-TIME POSITION FOR AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER AT EL PASO MATTERS; -- CONTINUED FUNDING OF FREE-LANCE REPORTERS AT EL PASO INC., EL PASO TIMES, AND KVIA TV; -- CONTINUED CREATING CONTENT SHARED BY ALL PARTNERS ON SUBJECTS UNIQUE TO THE BORDER. STORIES RECEIVED REGIONAL AND NATIONAL EXPOSURE THROUGH THE MSN NETWORK, BUT ALSO THROUGH THE TEXAS NEWSROOM, NPR, AND USA TODAY (ON A LIMITED BASIS), AS WELL AS ABC AFFILIATES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY; -- BEGAN INITIAL PLANS TO DEVELOP A JOURNALISM SUPERSTRUCTURE FOCUSED ON THE ENTIRE 1,954 MILES (3,145 KILOMETERS) U.S.-MEXICO BORDER; AND -- HIRED AN AWARD-WINNING VETERAN JOURNALIST TO SERVE AS EXECUTIVE EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT.