Feb. 7, 2023 — FRONTLINE, PBS’s flagship investigative documentary series, and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY are pleased to announce that James O’Donnell has been selected as the series’ 2023 Tow Journalism Fellow. The year-long position is funded by The Tow Foundation.

O’Donnell received his master’s in journalism in 2022 from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, where he focused on economics and business reporting as a Lisa Goldberg Scholar. During his fellowship, O’Donnell will collaborate with FRONTLINE’s reporters, producers and digital media creators, contributing to ongoing reporting across platforms, from digital and transmedia projects to the series’ documentaries and podcasts.

“Over the past several years, our Tow Journalism Fellows have become a vital part of FRONTLINE’s in-house reporting ranks and have done remarkable work,” said Raney Aronson-Rath, FRONTLINE’s editor-in-chief and executive producer. “I’m so pleased to welcome James to our team. We’re excited to continue our journalism fellowship with the Newmark J-School and thankful to The Tow Foundation for their profound support of our journalism and public media mission.”

“We are thrilled to see another remarkable alum join the FRONTLINE team, and proud of our continued partnership with them and with The Tow Foundation,” said Graciela Mochkofsky, dean of the Newmark J-School.

O’Donnell has written for outlets including WNYC, The New Republic, Crain’s New York, Forbes and City & State. His interest in data-driven reporting has led him to investigate racial disparities in New York City’s opioid addiction treatment programs for Gothamist, analyze police department relationships with Amazon’s Ring cameras for the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network and measure the impact of anti-union campaigns for The New Republic. He hopes to continue his reporting on both the health care system and the workplace at FRONTLINE.

Prior to journalism, O’Donnell worked for six years in food systems policy on issues including sustainable agriculture. In addition to his graduate journalism degree, O’Donnell, who currently resides in New York City, holds a bachelor’s in economics from Tufts University.

About FRONTLINE

FRONTLINE, U.S. television’s longest running investigative documentary series, explores the issues of our times through powerful storytelling. FRONTLINE has won every major journalism and broadcasting award, including 104 Emmy Awards and 28 Peabody Awards. Visit pbs.org/frontline and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to learn more. FRONTLINE is produced by GBH in Boston and is broadcast nationwide on PBS. Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional support for FRONTLINE is provided by the Abrams Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Park Foundation, the Heising-Simons Foundation, and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund, with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation, and additional support from Laura DeBonis.

About The Tow Foundation

The Tow Foundation, established in 1988 by Leonard and Claire Tow, supports visionary leaders and nonprofit organizations that serve historically marginalized populations, help individuals contribute to their communities, and champion advancements and experiences that make it possible for all people to live healthy and joyous lives. It invests in innovative programs and reform in culture, higher education, journalism, justice and community wellness, and medicine. For more information, visit www.towfoundation.org or follow The Tow Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

About the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, founded in 2006, is a public graduate journalism school based in the heart of New York City’s media capital. With affordable tuition and extensive scholarship support, it prepares students from diverse economic, racial and cultural backgrounds to produce high-quality journalism. The school offers an M.A. in Journalism, M.A. in Engagement Journalism, and a unique M.A. in Journalism – Bilingual Program (English/Spanish) that trains bilingual students interested in covering Latino and Hispanic communities in the U.S. and abroad.

For more information, visit https://www.journalism.cuny.edu/future-students/admissions/

Press Contact: Anne Husted, Manager, PR & Communications | frontlinemedia@wgbh.org | 617-300-5312