BOSTON (January 7, 2020) – Reinforcing its commitment to covering stories and listening to voices from communities across Massachusetts, WGBH News today announced plans to open a Worcester news bureau. This bureau will be dedicated to expanding on existing coverage and shining a spotlight on stories from the city of Worcester and Worcester County.

“Worcester has a significant impact on the economy and culture of the Commonwealth, and we are thrilled to increase our on-the-ground presence there,” said Jon Abbott, President and CEO of WGBH. “Across Massachusetts, audiences consistently turn to WGBH News as a trusted source of local news and analysis. With WCAI on Cape Cod, New England Public Media in Springfield, and WGBH in Boston, we now have the largest footprint for news in the Commonwealth and are committed to sharing the important stories vital to the lives of our citizens.”

The bureau will be located at 27 Federal Street in downtown Worcester, in the former home of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Today, the building is home to Quinsigamond Community College’s Healthcare and Workforce Development Center, the Worcester IdeaLab, the Worcester PopUp!, Ten24, and others.

The WGBH News Worcester Bureau will house a fully-equipped broadcast studio providing easy access for interviews and will be equipped to stream digital video to platforms such as Facebook Live. Scheduled to open in the Spring of 2020, the bureau will create radio features for 89.7 FM and digital-first stories for www.wgbhnews.org. WGBH News plans to collaborate with local colleges to develop internship opportunities with the new bureau and will use the bureau as a convening space for local organizations.

“WGBH News has consistently been reporting on key stories from Worcester. With an established bureau, we will be able to broaden our reach and engagement with the community,” says WGBH News Director Kate Zachry. “Our audience across Massachusetts will benefit from more in-depth stories and breaking news updates from the city and Worcester County as a whole.”

WGBH News has covered Worcester stories such as why Worcester County is dominating the state’s burgeoning cannabis industry, the race to secure affordable housing, the economic and cultural resurgence of the city, the effort to make Worcester’s ‘Maker Space’ reflect the city’s diversity, Liberians facing deportation and Worcester’s roller derby league. The WGBH News Worcester bureau is being funded in part by generous support from the C. Jean & Myles McDonough Charitable Foundation and The George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation.

“Today, we are watching news organizations across the country struggle to maintain a presence in the local community. Worcester faces similar challenges,” said Lisa McDonough, explaining why her family’s foundation chose to get behind the new bureau. “News organizations play a vital role, ensuring there is accountability in our local government and sharing stories of a thriving community. We are looking forward to seeing the stories shared by WGBH News.”

Connecting the Commonwealth

The Worcester bureau is part of WGBH’s continued investment in local reporting in regions throughout the Commonwealth. Earlier this year, WGBH’s sister station WGBY joined with New England Public Radio to create New England Public Media (NEPM), expanding public media offerings for the residents of western New England. On the Cape, WGBH works in partnership with WCAI, sharing stories from southeastern Massachusetts, the Cape, Coast and Islands. The award-winning New England Center for Investigative Reporting (NECIR) officially joined WGBH News in July, bringing enhanced local investigative resources to WGBH News’ newsroom.

WGBH News also maintains a bureau and dedicated reporters in Dorchester, Boston’s largest neighborhood, and at the Massachusetts State House. The WGBH Studio at the Boston Public Library features regular live broadcasts of Boston Public Radio along with public events.

Those interested in the full-time reporter position can apply here.

About WGBH News

WGBH News is among the fastest growing local news providers in greater Boston and draws on the talent of a multi-platform newsroom that includes 89.7 WGBH, Boston’s Local NPR, television and digital reporting. The WGBH newsroom continues to invest in substantive local coverage and has established dedicated desks for innovation, higher education and politics as well as unique partnerships to expand on that commitment, including with WNYC’s The Takeaway, PRI’s The World, and The GroundTruth Project.

About WGBH

WGBH Boston is America’s preeminent public broadcaster and the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, including Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow, Frontline, Nova, American Experience, Arthur and more than a dozen other primetime, lifestyle and children’s series. WGBH’s television channels include WGBH 2, WGBX 44, and the digital channels World and Create. WGBH TV productions focusing on the region’s diverse community include Greater Boston, Basic Black and High School Quiz Show. WGBH Radio serves listeners across New England with 89.7 WGBH, Boston’s Local NPR®; 99.5 WCRB Classical Radio Boston; and WCAI, the Cape and Islands NPR® Station. WGBH also is a major source of digital content and programs for public radio through PRI/PRX, including The World and Innovation Hub, a leader in educational multimedia with PBS LearningMedia™, providing the nation’s educators with free, curriculum-based digital content, and a pioneer in services that make media accessible to deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired audiences. WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors: Emmys, Peabodys, duPont-Columbia Awards and Oscars. Find more information at wgbh.org.



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