MONTPELIER – The Vermont Journalism Coalition, a new advocacy organization advancing the interests of local news outlets, gathered in the Cedar Creek Room Wednesday, celebrating the winners of the Vermont Community Foundation’s local civic journalism awards. The award was administered by the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office.
photo by John Walters
Sixteen news organizations received grants, funds for which were appropriated by the state in this year’s budget and matched by Press Forward Vermont.
Paul Fixx, editor of the Hardwick Gazette, said the news organizations would use the grants to pay Vermonters to contribute to their papers, making the awards an even more crucial investment in the state.
“However you slice these awards, a significant portion of them keeps Vermonters working in a business where we hold our government and businesses’ feet to the fire,” he said, “and I think that’s a really important piece of what we’re doing.”
VTDigger is a member of the coalition but did not receive an award.
Congratulations! It takes courage and grits to sow a garden of news, amidst a desert of social media tumbleweeds.