By Rick Griffin
Times of San Diego
SAN DIEGO — KPBS, San Diego’s public broadcasting TV and radio station, has announced it has received a $3 million gift from Irwin and Joan Jacobs to fund the KPBS Democracy Project, which will include a new journalism team focusing on election coverage and local government reporting, ranging from school boards to city councils, over the next three years.
The gift also will include Spanish translation of election coverage, civic education, expansion of a voter guide and social media content, a statement said.
The Democracy Project also will include news organizations inewsource and Voice of San Diego sharing political and governance content on the KPBS TV, radio and digital platforms.
“The democracy project strives to expand the culture of civic engagement in our community through increased public conversation and increased coverage of issues that matter to our region, specifically within communities that are often left on the fringes of political power,” said Deanna Mackey, KPBS general manager. “These three nonprofit news organizations are coming together to address access to information and coverage needs across the county to build a more informed, connected future for all San Diegans.”
KPBS said the Jacobs are longtime supporters having previously made gifts to support the expansion of the KPBS newsroom, its digital innovation and the building capital campaign.
“Joan and Irwin’s gifts to KPBS over time have continually allowed us to make transformational change in our digital content, becoming a significant news service, and now I believe in helping bring people together in divisive times,” said Mackey.
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Preceding originally published in Times of San Diego with which San Diego Jewish World exchanges stories under the aegis of the San Diego Online News Association.