WGBH News plans to open a news bureau in Worcester this spring, WGBH announced Tuesday.
The Worcester location will be equipped with a broadcast studio and technology to stream digital video and will create radio and digital stories for 89.7 FM and the news website.
WGBH News said it is looking to hire one full-time reporter to station at the bureau.
"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," Jon Abbott, president and CEO of WGBH, said in the statement.
The expansion to central Massachusetts follows WGBH News' acquisition of the New England Center for Investigative Reporting (NECIR) from Boston University last summer. WGBH News currently maintains a bureau in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester and at the Massachusetts State House. WGBH News also works in partnership with WCAI on Cape Cod and jointly created New England Public Media (NEPM) in Springfield with WGBY last year.
“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,” WGBH News Director Kate Zachry said in the statement. “Our audience across Massachusetts will benefit from more in-depth stories and breaking news updates from the city and Worcester County as a whole.”
The bureau will be located at 27 Federal St. in Worcester, the former location of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. It is being funded in part by the C. Jean & Myles McDonough Charitable Foundation and the George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation, according to the statement.
"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, of her family's foundation, in the statement. "News organizations play a vital role, ensuring there is accountability in our local government and sharing stories of a thriving community."
