Local Journalism Initiative
PARTNER INVESTIGATIONS
After George Floyd
The killing of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis sparked a nationwide reckoning on racism in America — and renewed calls for change. FRONTLINE partners with award-winning Star Tribune reporters as they cover the aftermath of Floyd’s death, Chauvin’s trial and the impact on both the city’s police and communities of color.
COVID-19 in America
The latest from our local journalism partners on how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting communities across the U.S.
Dairyland in Distress
For years, Loyal, a city in the heart of Wisconsin's dairy country, has been struggling with an ailing farm economy. Then COVID-19 hit the state. A collaboration between Milwaukee PBS and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
Fractured
The mental health care system in North Carolina has been failing for years. Perhaps nowhere is that more evident than those who get caught up in the criminal justice system, out of sight, therefore out of mind for the general public and policymakers. But their plight — and the brokenness of the mental health system…
Groundwater War
New Mexico PBS' investigation into PFAS contamination at military installations in the state and its impact on groundwater.
Poisoned
Hundreds of workers at a Tampa lead smelter have been exposed to dangerous levels of the neurotoxin. The Tampa Bay Times investigates the profound consequences. Part 1: The Factory | Part 2: The Failings | Part 3: The Fallout This investigation, carried out with support from FRONTLINE's Local Journalism Initiative, won a George Polk Award, a Pulitzer Prize…
Rural Health Care: The Other Texas Drought
Rural communities in the Texas Panhandle have struggled to keep up in the fight against the coronavirus. The Texas Newsroom examines the shortage of health care resources people living in those communities face.
Sugar Land
In 2018, a few months into building a new school in Sugar Land, Texas, construction crews uncovered 95 unmarked graves — evidence of a particularly dark period in our country’s history. The Texas Newsroom explores who these 95 people were and what happened to them in the podcast “Sugar Land.”
The Disconnect
In February 2021, days-long blackouts in Texas left millions shivering in the dark. Hundreds died. How has the Texas grid changed since then? And how has it changed how people think? KUT/KUTX Studios and The Texas Newsroom explore those questions in season two of “The Disconnect: Power, Politics and the Texas Blackout.”
Uncovered
A first-of-its-kind effort to expose questionable government conduct and corruption throughout South Carolina. The Post and Courier has teamed with 17 community newspapers in this effort, which aims to strengthen accountability of taxpayer dollars and democracy in the Palmetto State.
Underage and Unprotected
A two-year investigation by The Public’s Radio reveals how some migrant teens end up working in risky jobs at seafood processing plants in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Underage and Unprotected examines the role of staffing agencies, which many teens said hired them and sent them to jobs at processors. The series also exposes weaknesses in the…
When Police Shoot
Police across Utah shot at 30 people two years ago. And then in 2020, the state tied that record. With no government entity collecting such data, The Salt Lake Tribune will expand its own data gathering on police shootings.
Youth Suicide in Colorado
Colorado has one of the country’s highest suicide rates, a crisis only deepened by the pandemic. Rocky Mountain PBS examines a statewide prevention effort and finds stories of healing and hope.
Our Partners
Latest Reporting from Our Partners
'It's a Very Tough Job': In Rural Wisconsin, a Struggle to Save Family Farms and a Way of Life
Spend a few hours listening to people who live in Clark County, Wisconsin, and you hear a lot about what’s ailing small farms. But you also hear about the community ties and independence that keep them in farming.
Milwaukee PBS
January 25, 2021
New Generation of Wisconsin Dairy Farmers Look for a Future That Keeps Them on the Land, Following Their Passion
The collapse of small dairy farms has been changing the landscape of Wisconsin — literally and figuratively — for years. Thousands of family farms are weighing their future, questioning whether they should keep going when the next round of hard times, which never seems far away, could force them out of business.
Milwaukee PBS
January 21, 2021
America's Dairyland: The Next Generation
Meet some of Wisconsin's next-generation dairy farmers.
Milwaukee PBS
January 21, 2021
Utah Attorney General’s Office ‘Surprised’ Police Shot at So Many People in 2020
The Salt Lake Tribune and FRONTLINE collaborate to investigate police shootings after Utah fails to collect data.
The Salt Lake Tribune
January 10, 2021
‘Constant Breaking of Your Heart:’ How Utah Police Respond to Mental Health Crises
Police shootings in Utah often involve someone who is suicidal or in a mental health crisis.
The Salt Lake Tribune
January 9, 2021
Two Weeks. Three Lost. One Florida Family Ravaged by the Coronavirus.
Boyzell Hosey, a journalist for the Tampa Bay Times, developed COVID-19 symptoms, then watched his world shatter.
Tampa Bay Times
December 17, 2020
Tampa Bay Charter Schools are Growing During the Coronavirus Pandemic
With more flexibility to adapt to pandemic conditions, some charters are filled to capacity as district schools struggle.
Tampa Bay Times
December 10, 2020
How Did the Coronavirus Overwhelm a Florida Nursing Home So Quickly?
Nine months into the pandemic, the virus has killed more than 19,000 Floridians. About 40 percent of the deaths have been among senior care residents. Tampa Bay Times investigates a retirement complex that became an early epicenter.
Tampa Bay Times
December 3, 2020
Lifelines: Preventing Youth Suicide
During a time of pandemic when so many people are experiencing illness, isolation and financial struggle, mental health is a top concern. The Rocky Mountain PBS "Insight with John Ferrugia" team has gathered stories of prevention, healing and hope.
Rocky Mountain PBS
November 18, 2020
Cheat Codes: Students Search For Shortcuts as Virtual Schooling Expands
Cheating has always been an issue in schools, but there is little getting in the way for students today. Shared answers have become even more accessible as districts have adopted or expanded their use of popular online learning programs.
Oklahoma Watch
October 23, 2020
Hurting Right Now? This Florida Woman Wants You to Know You’re Not Alone
As early as April, mental health specialists across the country were warning about how the coronavirus and lockdown would cause more people to struggle with anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
Tampa Bay Times
October 5, 2020
Coronavirus Isolated LGBTQ Students From Community. Now They’re Going Back to School.
When home isn't supportive, virtual school has added challenges for LGBTQ kids.
Tampa Bay Times
August 17, 2020
The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.