Abridged, a local digital news and information source powered by PBS KVIE, announced today that it is launching the Abridged Community Reporters program, an initiative that puts the power to tell the stories of the Sacramento region into the hands of the people who know it best. It’s news for you, by you, and you’ll only find it on Abridged.
We are looking for local storytellers who want to serve their community by helping us tell the untold stories of the region — the stories other media outlets too often ignore. By joining us in telling the story of the Sacramento area, you’ll play a direct role in ensuring the region remains home to thoughtful, trustworthy news and information into the future.
“Abridged was created to reconnect local journalism with the people it serves. Our new Abridged Community Reporters program takes that idea one step further by empowering residents to tell the stories of their own neighborhoods with support from our newsroom. It’s a way to make sure journalism in Sacramento isn’t just about the community, but from the community,” said David Lowe, President and General Manager of PBS KVIE.
No opinion. No noise. Just public service journalism.
No journalism or news experience is required to join the team. The program will include comprehensive training, dedicated support from the Abridged editorial team and the opportunity to share your work widely across the region. We’ll give you the support you need to tell stories that meet the same high standards we set for ourselves. No opinion. No noise. Just public service journalism that informs and connects. And we will pay you for every story you publish. We’ll also host regular meetups at locations across our region to help you develop your skills and connect with fellow community reporters.
“The people of the Sacramento region deserve the chance to tell their stories from their perspectives, with the support and partnership of a high-quality operation. Bringing more of our local communities’ experiences to light will help strengthen our region, fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose,” said longtime civic advocate Maya Wallace, a founding member of the program’s community insight panel.
If you’ve ever wondered why something is the way it is in your neighborhood or caught an exhibition from a local artist who deserves the spotlight, you now have a place to tell that story. We envision the team highlighting the vibrant personalities of local neighborhoods, the interesting people who are creating art and music or operating small businesses across town, and bringing unique perspectives to the issues that impact the people who share our community. We also see a place for the team to hold local organizations and leaders accountable, especially those who might fly under the radar of traditional news coverage. But we know we don’t know everything, and we can’t wait to hear from you about all the stories you want to tell.
“Too often, media outlets approach underserved communities with the idea of giving those communities a voice,” said Ryan Lillis, Associate General Manager of News at PBS KVIE. “Those communities have their own voice, and this program seeks to provide a stage that elevates those voices.”
Abridged also creating Community Insights Panel
Newsrooms across the region have shrunk over the past decade, and a goal of the Abridged Community Reporter program is to help create a new pipeline of journalists from diverse backgrounds.
If you’d like to learn more or get involved, you can find the full job description along with a link to apply below. Applications for our first cohort will be open until Friday, Nov. 14, and we expect to hold our first training session in December with a view toward publishing your stories beginning at the start of 2026.
As part of this effort, we’ll also be forming a Community Insights Panel made up of community leaders from across the region who are already working to build bridges and strengthen our community’s connections. And we want you to nominate the leaders who you believe can share the insights we need.
Partners needed to host trainings, listening sessions
We are also seeking community partners to join us in hosting listening sessions, community reporter trainings and mobile newsrooms, as well as to serve as thought partners, working together to strengthen bonds across the Sacramento region.
If you would like to nominate someone for the Community Insights Panel, learn more about being a community partner or have any additional questions, you can reach out to citizen journalism editor Adam Eisenberg at aeisenberg@kvie.org.
Community members who wish to support the Community Reporters program can contribute to the Abridged Local Journalism Fund, a charitable fund held at the Sacramento Region Community Foundation. Donations can be made online at sacregcf.org.
Abridged Community Reporter Job Description
PBS KVIE is seeking aspiring and highly motivated storytellers from across the Sacramento area to help us tell the stories of the region’s people, places and communities on its new community-first news platform Abridged. Previous journalism or news experience is not required, but you should bring a desire to serve the community, an eagerness to learn more about covering news, a strong work ethic and an understanding of the difference between fact and opinion.
PBS KVIE will provide a comprehensive training program and participants will be compensated at a set per-story rate. The training program will include education on the key foundations of high quality, ethical journalism, technical guidance on multimedia tools and practical information on expectations, editorial workflow and more.
Interested candidates should be:
- Engaged in what’s happening in their neighborhood, in local government and politics, in the arts scene or in other communities built around geography or shared interests, and enthusiastic about sharing that information with others
- Committed to contributing stories (text, photos, audio, video) on a regular basis
- Available to attend an in-person orientation/training session, along with occasional meetups and workshops
- Interested in learning about the principles of good journalism and how to produce high quality content in your chosen format
If you’re interested in being considered for a spot on our community reporters team, click here to submit your application.
If you have questions, you can reach out to citizen journalism editor Adam Eisenberg at aeisenberg@kvie.org.
Adam Eisenberg is the citizen journalism editor at Abridged. He leads the Community Reporters program, empowering local storytellers to share stories from across the region.