• by Ray Schultz , September 9, 2022

Newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises has created a national Public Service Journalism team. 

The publisher, which serves 77 markets, has added 12 veteran investigative reporters to assist with access to public records, track taxpayer money and government spending, examine data related to health, crime and safety issues and in general serve as watchdogs, the company says.

“The creation of our Public Service Journalism team strengthens our company’s commitment to investigative and data journalism, because it’s the work that can truly make a difference in the communities we serve,” states Jason Adrians, vice president-local news at Lee Enterprises. 

This is part of a three-pronged strategy. The firm is “investing in local news talent and tools, premium reporting and storytelling, and the development of young journalists,” Adrians adds.

The move occurs in the face of layoffs at large newspaper chains and threats to Lee’s own independence. Last year, it warded off an apparent hostile takeover by Alden Global Capital. 

The 12 reporters will collaborate with local newsrooms to augment their reporting. Four each will serve in Lee’s West, Midwest and East regions.

The team includes: 

• a Pulitzer Prize finalist
• three members of the ProPublica Local Reporting Network;
• a grant recipient from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
• the winner of an Edward R. Murrow Regional Award 
• top national award recipients from Investigative Reporters and Editors and the national Society of Professional Journalists 
• an investigative reporter and researcher for the Pulitzer Prize-winning Better Government Association in Chicago. 

In addition, Lee newsrooms added more than 60 summer interns in 2022 as part of a program that provided real-world training in digital-first journalism for undergraduate and graduate student journalists.