What Knight-Mozilla OpenNews Has Learned about Preparing Non-Journalists for the Newsroom

By: Caroline O’Donovan | NiemanLab

Since 2011, Knight-Mozilla OpenNews has selected 26 coders, developers, and technologists for their competitive fellowship program, which embeds fellows in news organizations for 10-month stints meant to educate both the organization and the individual. Of those 26 fellows, says editorial lead Erin Kissane, only about seven had previous experience in journalism. “It’s mostly the case that they’re interested in journalism and might be fans, but haven’t had direct newsroom experience,” she says.