Pittsburgh Media Partnership

The purpose of the Pittsburgh Media Partnership (PMP) is to support and promote local journalism across the region for the public’s benefit.

The PMP — which comprises 28 media outlets in the Greater Pittsburgh area — accomplishes this by encouraging collaboration between and among partner outlets, developing and distributing resources, building capabilities and advocating for local journalism.

Become a PMP Member

In order to be considered for membership, outlets must:

Maintain a news operation in and serve audiences in the Pittsburgh MSA (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties), regardless of whether ownership is local or remote.
Produce independent journalism on a regular basis. This may include one-person news organizations but not freelancers. It does not include organizations whose main purposes are partisan, advertorial, advocacy and/or public relations.
Commit to uphold the purpose and mission of the partnership by regularly attending meetings, encouraging collaboration where appropriate and generally supporting the overall success of local journalism.

PMP members meet on a bi-weekly basis to discuss issues of common interest as well as to consider collaborative reporting project proposals.

Grants of up to $5,000 are available to partners that collaborate on stories that benefit the local community and the partner outlets, which will share and distribute or broadcast the finished products.

Internship Program

The PMP oversees a year-round internship program in which area university students are either placed with partner news outlets or work out of the Pittsburgh Downtown Media Hub. During the 2023 summer session, 11 interns produced more than 150 bylined stories and photos for their respective outlets during an eight-week stretch extending from early June through early August. This fall, two students are working for the Media Partnership, and their stories are being made available to the partnership's 28 outlets.

Professional Development

The PMP brings expert speakers and instructors for shared learning experiences among partners. Topics of recent training sessions include search engine optimization, maximizing social media opportunities and the state’s Right-to-Know law.

Pittsburgh Media Hub

The PMP also is facilitating the creation of shared newsroom space in a Downtown office building that is available for members on an ongoing or drop-in basis. The space, known as the Pittsburgh Media Hub and located in the Benedum-Trees Building on Fourth Avenue, features desk space, meeting rooms and a podcasting studio, among other amenities.

Contact Us

Frank Garland, PMP project coordinator: fgarland@pointpark.edu

Pittsburgh Media Partnership website