Fellowship puts reporters on solid footing as America ages
After two years, 31 participants, and over 120 news stories, The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and New America Media (NAM) have received a new grant to continue the successful MetLife Foundation Journalists in Aging Fellowship Program. For a third time, it will bring a cadre of aging-focused reporters to GSA's Annual Scientific Meeting who will be expected to deliver a story from the conference and a major piece or series in the following months.
The program, run jointly by GSA and NAM, is made possible by a generous grant from the MetLife Foundation. Half of the invited participants will be chosen from ethnic media outlets that serve communities within the U.S.
There will be a total of 17 fellows — one more than last year as a result of a supporting grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation. Thanks to its involvement, one reporter covering health and aging topics will be designated as the John A. Hartford/MetLife Foundation Journalism in Aging & Health Fellow.
Ten previous fellows also will receive funds to come to the meeting in San Diego to cover the newest developments in the field of aging.
"The growing interest from funders and reporters highlights both the success of the program and the fact that GSA's meeting is increasingly seen as a venue for journalists to better understand scientific discoveries, social and policy debates, and solutions to the issues facing our aging population," said GSA Deputy Executive Director Linda Harootyan, MSW. "This is an important development, since the unprecedented growth of the senior demographic calls for a stronger media focus on aging."
The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that a full one-fifth of the country's population will be 65 and older by 2030. Additionally, those from ethnic and racial minorities are expected to make up 40 percent of this age group by 2050.
Harootyan co-directs the program with Paul Kleyman, the senior editor of NAM's ethnic elders newsbeat and national coordinator of the Journalists Network on Generations, a collaborator on this project since its inception.
In 2011, representatives of the John A. Hartford Foundation, America's leading philanthropy with a sustained interest in aging and health, expressed an interest in becoming a partner with the program. With approval from the MetLife Foundation, the Hartford Foundation was brought on board in an official capacity earlier this year.
"More and better media coverage of the problems faced by older adults in our health care system can drive public demand for better care. This coverage also informs the public, along with policy makers and health care professionals, about the solutions we already have to keep older patients safe and healthy," said John A. Hartford Foundation Program Officer Marcus Escobedo. "We are proud to partner with the MetLife program in support of a fellow who can contribute to our national dialogue about health care and help improve the system for older adults across the country."
All applications for the fellowship program will be reviewed by a selection committee of representatives from GSA and NAM. The criteria will include clarity and originality of proposed long-term projects; quality of samples of published or produced work; and high-impact potential of proposals geographically and across different ethnic or racial populations.
Upon arrival in San Diego, the fellows will participate in a day-long pre-conference session. GSA will showcase research highlights from the meeting and host discussions with veteran journalists on how to position aging stories in the current media environment.
The MetLife Foundation, the funder for this program, was created in 1976 by MetLife to continue its longstanding tradition of contributions and community involvement. Its goal is to empower people to lead healthy, productive lives and strengthen communities. The foundation typically makes grants related to the areas of health, education, civic affairs, and culture.
More information:
The current application and a continuously updated list of stories from the first two years' fellows are available at www.geron.org/journalistfellows
Provided by The Gerontological Society of America
