About the Georgia News Collaborative.

Local news is critical to our democracy, but it’s in jeopardy across the country—especially in Georgia.

Georgia has 17 counties without a local newspaper and 112 counties with just one local weekly newspaper. Residents living in under-covered areas are more vulnerable to misinformation, community detachment, low civic participation and potentially higher public official corruption and negligence. Meanwhile, remaining legacy and emerging local news outlets are struggling to sustain operations.

The Georgia News Collaborative was formed to innovate a solution to these challenges and to strengthen trustworthy, independent local news.

Who we are.

We represent organizations and individuals with a passion and ability for strengthening local news in Georgia. Members represent a diverse array of geographies, media types, and constituencies. We share a foundational belief that free, independent, accurate, community-driven, and equitable news is fundamental to the strength of our democracy and critical to the health of our communities.

What we do.

Our mission is to strengthen local news and information in Georgia through resources and capabilities that expand and sustain quality local coverage, engage the community, emphasize accountability, and rebuild trust so that our democracy can continue to flourish.

What we seek.

We envision a future in Georgia where all 159 counties have high-quality local news coverage for vital local topics including education, economics, environment, politics, public affairs, health and well-being. Local news audiences engage and rely upon trustworthy, accurate, multi-lingual, accessible, equitable, and relevant coverage. Local news outlets can sustain operations, and local ownership serves the local communities.

Our executive director

After two years of being 100% volunteer-led by many dedicated individuals and organizations passionate about local news in Georgia, we were thrilled to hire an inaugural executive director in July 2023.

Our initiating committee

Our work is led by a dedicated group of volunteers passionate about journalism and democracy in Georgia. As a Board of Directors is formed, the following group provides strategic guidance and leadership. Administrative support is provided by Lauri Strauss (Landscape Analysis staff lead) and Coxe Curry & Associates.

Franko is a 30-year newspaper veteran who spent the last 4 years with Report for America developing local philanthropic support for news. His work engaged more than 200 newsrooms across the country and raised more than $23 million for local news — most of it from citizens who never donated before to local news that had never received donations previously. Prior to this role, Franko spent 12 years as editor of The Vindicator in Youngstown, Ohio and previous time at the Rockford Register Star in Illinois, Post-Tribune, Sandusky Register, and Columbus Telegram.

Debbie Blankenship, Director, Center for Collaborative Journalism, Mercer University

Bill Bolling, Board Chair, Atlanta Civic Circle

Kathy Brister, Georgia First Amendment Foundation

Margaret Coker, Editor-in-Chief, The Current

Jennifer Dorian, President & CEO, WABE

Frank Fernandez, President, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

Scot Morrisey, VP of Digital Operations, Southern Community Newspapers, Inc.

Tracie Powell, Founder, The Pivot Fund

Jaime Sarrio McMurtrie, Director Of Communications, Community Relations + Development, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Josephine Bennett, Director of News and Partnerships, Georgia Public Broadcasting

Janis Ware, Publisher, The Atlanta Voice

Penelope McPhee, journalist, author & philanthropic adviser