Innovation team

The RJI Innovation team explores timely challenges, needs and gaps in journalism to help build safer, stronger, more equitable, diverse and inclusive journalism, news spaces and relationships with the communities we serve. We build free, accessible & open source resources, programs, workshops and tools for and with journalists and newsrooms.

Check out the Innovation team resources, tools and projects repository.

Our current programs and initiatives:

RJI Student Competition: annual innovation competition where students across the country work together in teams on a project that tackles a challenge faced by the journalism industry. Challenge changes every year to address a timely need in journalism.
RJI Professional Fellowship program: annual 8 month fellowship where journalists from all over the world develop innovative resources, programs and tools with our support and guidance.
Student Fellowship Program: summer fellowships where students are matched with local newsrooms all over the country to work on innovative initiatives.
Women in Journalism Workshop: annual spring workshop where female journalists from around the world gather for vital training, skills building and discussions.
RJI innovation guest columnists, journalism leaders who write about issues at the intersection of journalism and practical innovation.
Innovation in Focus: monthly series which explores emerging technology, tools and storytelling methods for journalism with our student innovation staff.
Partnership projects: we work with partners to build free, accessible, open source resources for journalists
Vertical Storytelling Workshop: 2-part virtual workshop for beginners. Attendees learn the ins and outs of creating engaging and informative vertical storytelling experiences!
RJI Symposium: a symposium for a cohort of 30 community-centered journalists who want to come together to share and create thoughtful and actionable ways to serve our communities better.