Louisville Public Media’s Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting announced today the hiring of Mark Schaver, a veteran data specialist and editor at the Courier-Journal. Schaver will spearhead the non-profit investigative newsroom’s efforts in data journalism and news application development. He will use data analysis to mine and scrape public records, unlock information and help tell investigative stories in new and compelling ways.
Schaver joins the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting after having spent more than 25 years as a reporter and editor in North Carolina and Kentucky and most recently served as editor of the Courier-Journal’s Breaking News team. An advocate for transparency and open government, Schaver’s reporting has prompted two lawsuits that forced state agencies to pay penalties for violations of the Kentucky Open Records Act. He has produced and contributed to stories examining toxic air pollution, racial imbalances on juries, delays in the justice system and the crash of a commuter plane in Lexington and was a member of two news team finalists for the Pulitzer Prize.
A self-taught programmer, Schaver has built numerous data-driven online news applications, including a personal project that highlights the media's use of anonymous sources which garnered mentions in national publications such as USA Today and ESPN.com.
Schaver said he is thrilled to be joining the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting and looks forward to helping it fulfill its mission to pursue high-quality, high-impact investigative journalism. "These are tough times for traditional news organizations, and nonprofits like the Center are stepping in to make sure the public knows the truth about what public and private institutions are doing behind closed doors, and to hold their leaders accountable," he said.
Schaver is the third addition to the Center’s news team. He joins his former newspaper colleague, R.G. Dunlop, an award-winning investigative reporter and editor.
“These hires represent some of the best and brightest in watchdog journalism in this state,” said Managing Editor Brendan McCarthy. “It's a great start for our ambitious, growing newsroom."
The Center is continuing its national search for two additional investigative reporters. Schaver will join the newsroom in late August.
About the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting
The Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting is a new, non-profit investigative newsroom. It is a product of Louisville Public Media, which operates three public radio stations in the Kentuckiana region.
The Center will focus on in-depth, investigative journalism across numerous platforms, including on the web and with its news partners.
