The Rural News Service is dedicated to telling the stories that matter most to Florida’s rural communities, stories that are often overlooked, underreported, or misunderstood. Through original, locally focused journalism, we aim to inform, connect, and amplify the voices of residents across the state’s middle Panhandle and Big Bend regions. As a collaborative effort supported by public media, academic institutions, and community partners, our mission is to provide accurate, trustworthy reporting that reflects the challenges, opportunities, and everyday experiences shaping rural life in Florida.
Organizational Partners
The Rural News Service is collaborative based out of WFSU Public Media in Tallahassee, FL. Funding for the Rural News Service is provided by Press Forward Catalyst Funds through The Community Foundation of North Florida’s Press Forward North Florida initiative. Editorial oversight is provided by WFSU, Florida A&M University’s School of Journalism and Graphic Communication and WTXL/ABC-27.
Publication Partners: If you’re interested in running stories from the Rural News Service, please email lynn@wfsu.org.
Funding
The Rural News Service is funded through a grant from Press Forward, a non-profit organization that funds efforts to expand local journalism. Press Forward is independent of ideology and plans to work with More Perfect, a bipartisan initiative advancing five interrelated democracy goals, one of which is Access to Trusted News and Information. Press Forward operates under the fiscal sponsorship of The Miami Foundation.
The Community Foundation of NorthFlorida is a non-profit established in 1995 To enhance the quality of life in the North Florida community through the promotion and support of charitable giving. The Foundation acts as an illuminator of community needs while connecting donors to charitable causes they care most to support.