Chesapeake Journalism Collaboration will produce in-depth news stories across the watershed

Five public radio stations from Maryland, Delaware and Virginia are establishing an unusual collaboration between media organizations to produce in-depth news stories on important Chesapeake Bay issues and to broadcast those stories to listeners across a large portion of the Bay watershed. The first story, about the invasion of predatory blue catfish in the Bay, will air on September 19.

The newly-formed Chesapeake Journalism Collaboration is a partnership between WYPR-FM in Baltimore; WESM in Princess Anne, MD;Delaware Public Media; Virginia Public Radio; and Delmarva Public Radio.

“Chesapeake Bay issues are too critical and the area is too large for one station or even two to cover,” said Joel McCord, lead editor of the Collaboration. “This partnership is about getting important information to a population of more than 10 million people.”

McCord notes that bay restoration efforts, climate change impacts, development, pending law suits, and federal government interventions are among the stories that will be covered by the Collaboration. The Chesapeake Journalism Collaboration will produce and air 20 stories in the next year.

The Chesapeake Journalism Collaboration is funded by the participating stations with grant support from the Clayton Baker Trust, The Bancroft Foundation, Michael and Ann Hankin, The Jim and Patty Rouse Foundation, The Rob and Elizabeth Tyler Foundation, and the Mid-Shore Community Foundation.