The IWMF Acquires Acclaimed Journalism Nonprofit Round Earth Media

Public Media Company played a significant role in helping Round Earth Media plan, evaluate and facilitate this move to its future home. Congratulations to both Round Earth Media and the International Women’s Media Foundation.

The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) has announced its acquisition of global journalism nonprofit Round Earth Media (REM). Newly operating as a program of the IWMF, REM will continue its groundbreaking work in Asia, Latin America and Africa, thereby expanding the IWMF’s presence in underreported and underserved regions around the world.

Founded by journalist Mary Stucky in 2005 to build a new generation of early-career correspondents, REM’s scope of work includes a shared 2014 Peabody Award as well as story placements in The New York Times, NPR, USA Today and numerous international outlets. REM’s distinctive model pairs U.S. students and early-career journalists with in-country peers to develop underreported stories.

REM’s focus on untold stories matches the IWMF’s mission of placing women journalists at the center of the news around the world, no matter the challenges. The journalism nonprofit also extends the IWMF’s scope by building storytelling partnerships with male journalists around the world.

“Our mission is to provide early-career journalists with a runway to producing journalism of excellence,” says Mary Stucky, director of REM programming at the IWMF. “Our unique model delivers reporting that has received recognition at the highest levels of the journalism profession. To be able to amplify that scope at the IWMF gives us an economy of scale unmatched in the industry, and we cannot wait to embark on this new journey.”

Today’s news follows a surge of monetary, programmatic and partner investment in the IWMF by organizations demanding quality journalism from women reporters. Given this need, in 2019 and 2020 the IWMF’s expanding team of directors will focus on pathways to newsroom leadership as well as the safety of women who report the news.

“At the heart of our organization is the need to empower and elevate local journalism, rewarding both international correspondents and local reporters for their tenacity and talent,” says Elisa Lees Muñoz, executive director of the IWMF. “We are truly honored that REM’s programs will now operate as a part of the IWMF, and we look forward to training, guiding and protecting young journalists in the most powerful ways possible today.”

This year the IWMF will announce several new REM programs including work in Indonesia and Thailand as well as a project on Islamic art and culture stemming from the United States. These initiatives will ensure that students and early-career journalists, especially freelancers, are on the front lines covering previously untold stories worldwide.