Davids Announces New Investment to Expand Rural Journalism in Kansas
Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced a $1 million investment in rural journalism to expand coverage of agricultural and rural issues in Kansas. Funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), this grant will support KCUR’s Harvest Public Media at a time when more than 2,500 newspapers have disappeared nationwide in the past two decades — leaving many rural communities without reliable local news. This investment is a critical step in ensuring rural voices are heard and their stories told.
“Rural communities are the backbone of our state, and it's crucial that their stories are given the attention they deserve,” said Davids. “Investments in rural reporting won’t only benefit the folks in those communities, but will provide the region with a more well-rounded understanding on a wide range of perspectives and experiences.”
Grant funding will allow Harvest Public Media to hire additional reporting and editing staff to expand the reach and quality of reporting on issues impacting rural communities and the agriculture and agribusiness sectors — demographics historically underrepresented in media and journalism.
“Harvest’s collaborative reporting comes from the ground up and provides a richer, more nuanced picture across a wider region of rural areas than any other media outlet can provide,” said Sarah Morris, General Manager, KCUR. “This grant will allow Harvest to grow its coverage footprint and to better serve audiences across the country.”
Davids serves as Ranking Member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee’s General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit Subcommittee. She continues her Farm Bill listening tour across Kansas Third District, recently convening more than 20 stakeholders, including former Senator Pat Roberts, to advocate for a Farm Bill benefiting all Kansans. In 2022, she was named a Friend of the Farm Bureau by the Kansas Farm Bureau.
The CPB is a private non-profit corporation supporting the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations. Since 2010, CPB has provided over $48 million in support to local journalism efforts nationwide.
Federal funding for this grant was authorized by the Federal Appropriations Act, which Davids and her colleagues on both sides of the aisle voted to support.