The Delaware Journalism Collaborative, a statewide partnership of local news organizations and community partners, has hired Darel La Prade as project manager.Underwritten by a two-year grant from the Solutions Journalism Network, the collaborative was formed by the Local Journalism Initiative of Delaware in 2022 to encourage local newsrooms to pool news gathering, reporting, editing and production efforts with the goal of producing groundbreaking journalism that will strengthen the entire Delaware community.
The Delaware Journalism Collaborative concentrates its reporting and community engagement efforts on exploring the toll polarization takes on local communities. The collaborative’s partners will not only investigate the divisive nature of racial, political, geographic and cultural polarization, but also will suggest possible solutions for how Delawareans can work together more effectively.
La Prade has been a journalist for more than four decades. He has experience as a reporter, editor and publisher. Most recently, he served as the group publisher for the Delmarva Group of Independent Newsmedia Inc., a position he held for five years.
“It’s extremely exciting to have the chance to help lead and shape the direction of a new dynamic group like the Delaware Journalism Collaborative,” La Prade said. “I am very grateful this came my way. The collaborative has a genuine opportunity to help strengthen our communities and elevate our civic discourse, a very important undertaking in today’s climate.”
The Delaware Journalism Collaborative is one of 15 Solutions Journalism Network collaboratives around the country working to build trust in all segments of the communities they serve and stimulate public conversations about key issues.
“For Delaware to be part of this network is not just impressive, but a real honor,” La Prade said. “And I believe it is important to emphasize that the work of the collaborative is not about advocacy journalism, but rather solutions journalism. We’ll take an evidence-based approach to the social problem of polarization.”
The Delaware Journalism Collaborative is fortunate to have a leader as experienced and respected as Darel La Prade, said LJI President and Founder Allison Taylor Levine.
“Darel exemplifies the spirit of community-centered journalism that strives for objectivity and fairness while elevating the voices of diverse people,” Levine said. “His commitment and leadership will help the collaborative support all Delawareans in becoming more informed and engaged so we can have the kinds of robust, nuanced conversations that make a democracy thrive.”
For more information about the Delaware Journalism Collaborative, visit ljidelaware.org/collaborative.