Narcity Media Announces New Digital Journalism Scholarship

When I started in journalism nearly 20 years ago, the long-term job prospects weren’t great. The disruption of traditional platforms and revenue streams had begun, and the internet was changing everything. The golden era of swashbuckling print reporters, well-funded foreign correspondents, and must-see nightly newscasts was behind us, we were told. I remember a journalism professor only half-jokingly suggesting we marry rich if we insisted on making a living this way.

Not exactly an encouraging way to kick off a career. All these years later, the transformation to a fully digital world is largely complete, but employment uncertainty for early-career journalists persists. Add to that the scourge of fake news and the hate directed at people who have made pursuing truth and facts their purpose, and the path of journalism can appear ever more daunting.

And yet, year after year a fresh wave of promising young journalists enters the workforce, intent on telling stories and making a difference. They represent, in a very real sense, the future of unbiased and accurate reporting, and the next torchbearers of a free press. This is exactly why Narcity Media is thrilled to support them with our new Narcity Digital Journalism Scholarship. As a digital publisher, we're on a mission to build the future of local media, and that means fostering new and emerging digital journalists and storytellers across the country.

With our new scholarship in conjunction with RTDNA Canada, we’ll be providing $2,000 to a third or final year student who has submitted a story or feature published on a university or college-affiliated website and/or social media platform. In addition, the successful recipient must include a letter of support from a supervisor as part of their submission. The completed entry must be submitted to the RTDNA by April 30, 2022. No other specifications are required — all we ask is that their story be one they believe should be told.

The tools, platforms and revenue models will keep changing, but the need for good journalism will never die. If we can make a difference in the early career of a promising young journalist, we believe that is a worthwhile investment indeed.


Owen Leitch
Executive Producer, Global Brands
Conference Co-Chair, RTDNA Canada