Urban development gets press attention

A new fellowship for journalists reveals that the press is ready to deepen its coverage of urbanism and development. Journalists interested in creating a sophisticated urban development beat are swarming to a new program at the University of California at Berkeley. The program, a fellowship for mid-career journalists, features instruction by new urbanists and others who are able to put local conflicts into a broader context. The University of California's Terner Fellowship was created by CNU member and journalist Bradley Inman, along with real estate developer Rick Holliday, real estate marketer Peter Palmisano, and Deirdre English, widow of affordable housing developer Don Terner. The first class of 20 journalists had over 200 applicants, demonstrating that an increasing number of news outlets are hoping to focus on development as a separate beat. According to Inman, the fellowship gives 20 mid-career journalists a chance to become more sophisticated urban development reporters; to go beyond just reporting on the latest local controversy. “Increasingly,” he says, “newspapers, radio, and television outlets are recognizing the importance of these issues, but don't have the skills to understand what local controversies mean in the overall picture. From NIMBYs fighting a local housing project to urban planning to architecture to gentrification battles to a bombing of Starbucks, these issues are all connected. We hope to push more sophisticated coverage.” In keeping with the visionary bent of the founders, the fellowship will give the fellows a healthy dose of New Urbanism along with a general understanding of real estate. CNU Executive Director Shelley Poticha will be a guest lecturer.