For 8 weeks this fall, an emerging class of creators will embark on a training program dedicated to enhancing fact-checking, research, effective storytelling and other essential traditional news skills.
October 8, 2025 – Today, News Creator Corps (NCC) announced the inaugural class of online creators for its pilot program. The 2025 fellowship will include 8 weeks of courses on content strategy and tactical reporting skills including sourcing, interviewing, fact checking, and debunking misinformation. The program provides information-focused content creators, who have an outsized impact on the flow of news and information, with the necessary tools to strengthen their relationship with their community and ensure they are sharing accurate and impactful information, led by media professionals and news experts. The selected individuals are established creators who have built a notable presence on social media by spotlighting relevant and relatable stories from restaurant openings and public health information to moderating parenting discussions and amplifying local news stories.
Legacy media organizations are under attack, and 3,500 local news outlets have closed in the last 20 years. Good, responsibly-reported information is more crucial than ever and this class of creators is filling that gap in the media and information ecosystem. The program features a diverse cohort eager to foster deeper connections with their audience. Through impactful storytelling and crucial newsroom-driven techniques, these community messengers will elevate trustworthy content in an effort to make social platforms safer, focusing on better reporting facts, silencing disinformation, and creating meaningful discourse on the topics that matter most.
“More and more people are getting their news and information directly from content creators on platforms like TikTok, Substack, and podcasts. Instead of fighting against that, we are better served by equipping these creators, who care deeply about their audiences and want to get it right, with the fact checking and reporting skills typically found in newsrooms. That is how we are going to be able to fight misinformation,” said Rachel Lobdell, executive director of News Creator Corps. “That’s exactly what we’re doing at NCC, and I couldn’t be more excited to get to work with our inaugural, and very talented, cohort of creators.”
The cohort will meet virtually once a week for eight weeks, from October 14 to December 12, and will collaborate with NCC’s publishing partners to expand reach and profile. Class participants will have access to lively discussion forums with program directors and colleagues to brainstorm ideas, troubleshoot questions, and build community. The creators selected for the program are receiving a $5,000 stipend and will be eligible for additional compensation through paid collaborations with NCC’s news organization, nonprofit, and public relations partners.
Meet the Inaugural Class of the 2025 NCC Pilot Program:
- Stephanie Valdez
- Becky Bullard
- James Cave
- Kahja Elliott
- Haley Lickstein
- Zackory Kirk
- Erika Harrison
- Amanda
- Jen Ruiz
- Malia Yoshioka
- Danielle Desir
- Mollie Daniela
- Nikki Sapiro Vinckier
- Ali Van Fleet
- Alandya Warren
- David Rushing
- Angel Barragan
- Adriana Goblirsch
- David Coe
- Courtney White
About News Creator Corps
News Creator Corps is a movement to ensure everyone has access to accurate and trustworthy information. We invest in content creators and community messengers so they can better share facts, debunk misinformation, and empower their audiences with information.