S. Mitra Kalita Shares Viewpoints on Philanthropy and Local News

AllMisc.Q&AInclusivityInsights
Written By Marc Fiol | Communications & Administrative Coordinator

Posting: Tuesday, February 20, 2024

During Journalism Funding Partner’s February Board meeting, Board members had the opportunity to hear from URL Media’s CEO, S. Mitra Kalita, about her background that led her to the start of URL Media as well as her experience working with foundations for philanthropic gifts to newsrooms. Many projects under URL Media are funded through JFP.

Kalita spoke of her time with CNN and its impact during 2020 before she discovered that she needed to make a career change and seriously consider what she wanted her life’s work to be focused on. Pivoting her focal point to her local community and recognizing the need for effective reporting in local communities, Kalita made the change to running her own online multi-platform network, URL Media. 

JFP Board members were invited to ask questions about her experience working with fiscal sponsors and her involvement with grant work providing aid to URL Media. She dove into two examples of foundations that she had worked with and how funding into local news could significantly help with existing projects. 

Kalita is on the plenary panel to speak at the Knight Media Forum on February 21st, 2024. She will be speaking with the three other individuals during a panel titled Empowering Local Journalism: Strengthening Trust, Expanding Resources and Shaping Policy. Check out the full video below.

About URL Media: URL Media is a multi-platform network that creates scale without sacrifice, connects audiences to relevant news & information, and enables more economic viability for Black and Brown media organizations. They share content, distribution and other resources to enhance reach, expand revenue and build long-term sustainability.

Online: url-media.com

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Media Contact: Rusty Coats, Executive Director | rusty@jfp-local.org | (813) 277-8959

Marc Fiol | Communications & Administrative Coordinator

Marc Fiol is the Communications and Administrative Coordinator at Journalism Funding Partners. His role consists of helping grow the awareness and Impact of JFP’s work by increasing the depth, diversity and sustainability of local news.

He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Advertising in 2020. Previously, he interned for the local newspaper, The Independent Florida Alligator, in Gainesville, Florida before officially joining the team as an account executive selling advertising space to local organizations. In addition to working with the Alligator, he also worked with their in-house advertising agency, SparkIt Creative, as their Content Developer designing advertisements for their many business accounts.

He is a Florida native, being born and raised in Miami, Florida, and values creativity, honesty and hard work. When he’s not working, he enjoys designing websites and apps, along with playing his guitar at home.

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