The Fourth Estate Membership Program
The Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation invites you to join its Fourth Estate Membership Program. While the U.S. Constitution established the executive, legislative and judicial branches, the phrase Fourth Estate reflects the unofficial but widely accepted role the news media play in providing citizens with information they can use to hold the government accountable.
In America, the president reigns for four years, and journalism governs forever and ever. — Oscar Wilde
Funds raised through the Fourth Estate Membership Program will support Valley news organizations by:
Providing funds to pursue in-depth investigative and watchdog reporting. The result: reporting on issues critical to Valley residents.
Underwriting the Desert Sun’s Opinion Editor position to preserve the editorial content that provides an important forum to discuss community issues.
Developing the next generation of journalists by placing interns/fellows with local news teams to receive
on-the-job training.
Supporting the career development of local journalists through training and professional development programs.
As a special benefit, Fourth Estate members who join at the Supporter level or above can opt-in to receive a free annual membership to one of five local historical societies:
🗝️ Palm Springs Historical Society
🗝️ Desert Hot Springs Historical Society
🗝️ Historical Society of Palm Desert
🗝️ La Quinta Historical Society
🗝️ Coachella Valley History Museum (Indio)
Once you join, we will reach out to confirm which historical society you are interested in supporting.
Current Members of the Fourth Estate Program
The Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation wants to express our deepest appreciation to the individuals who have made donations to CVJF that qualify them as Fourth Estate members.
We accept new members at any time, and membership runs for one year from the time you pledge your donation, making you eligible for benefits at whatever membership level for which you qualify.
Champions
- Mark Adams
- Nancy and Thomas Cunningham
- Bob and Lori Dickey
- Barb and Keith Kizziah
- Randolph Quebec
Guardians
- Erin LaCombe/CV Strategies
- Randy Lovely and John Sallot
- Karen Miller
Defenders
- Dan Adams
- Greg and Kyla Burton
- David Cantwell and Vincent Montelone
- Ken Chavez and Randy Bissett
- Jeffrey and Karla Kjelin-Elder
- Derek Evan and Mike Marron
- David and Nan Gillin
- Denise Goolsby
- Randall and Laurilie Jackson
- Troy Jones and Jason Ball
- Ricardo and Jennifer Loretta
- Julie Makinen
- Patty Newman
- Karl Olson
- Nicholas Robles
- David and Troy Weissberg
- Bob Wernick and Nan Shipp
Supporters
- Joan and Nicholas Behrmann
- Jimmy Boegle and Garrett Dangerfield
- Daniel and Kelley Bourgoise
- Lynn Bower
- Bill Brand
- Michael Crick
- Jeff Davied
- Robert W. Drake
- Pete Elting and Wes Freas
- Howard Goldberg
- Linda Holmes
- Michael Craft Johnson
- Stuart Kent
- Richard Krieg
- Chuck Leachman and Mickey Feigelson
- Janice Lyle
- Ed and Sallie Mannassah
- Nyron McLean
- David Perry
- Amy Pitter and Leah Camhi
- Steven Schmid
- Mark Simpson
- Ken Tebbetts and Jim Dowd
- Joe and Karen Wallace
- Pamela Watson and Becky Eustice
- Colin Wright and Toby Bryan
- John and Pam Zidich
Protectors
- Cathy Abbott
- Christian Alcocer
- Gary Armstrong
- Paula Auburn
- Marilyn Balchan
- Jennifer Barnakian-Poland
- Donald Barrett
- Claudia Bassin
- Stuart and Allen Bell
- Pam Bieri
- Amy Blaisdell
- Larry Bohannan
- Peter Boone and Kevin Carr
- Julie Buehler
- Larry L. Bye
- James Cantwell
- Kathleen Cohn
- Geoff Corbin
- Johanna Cullip
- Philip Currie
- Debra Cusmano
- Wynne Delacoma
- Karen Devine
- Marge Dodge
- John Emmel
- Martha and Don Fagan
- Gloria Franz
- David Freedman
- Brad Fuhr
- Alvera Gaeta
- Frank Goldstin
- Ann Greer
- Lynn Hammond
- Bob Heinen
- Daniel Hochman
- Rosalind and Earl Hoover
- Debra Hovel
- Ralph Ibarra
- Victor Ide
- Jake Ingrassia
- Barbara Kerr
- Kenneth Kuchma
- Janine Collins Lappin
- John Lindner
- Don and Sammie Lee Lingle
- John Macon
- Theresa Maggio
- Sherri Maurer
- Kimberli Munkres
- Liz Nelson
- Gretchen Neumann
- Stephen Nidetz
- Jeffrey Norman
- Michael O’Keefe
- Elaine Perkins
- Mark Platte
- Tom Pogue
- Suzanne Potter
- Douglas Prochaska
- Marji Ranes
- Jelka and Laney Rathgeber-Jonker
- Gene Rickey
- Susan Riss
- Marc Rosen
- Senta Scarborough
- Kellin Scudder
- Steven Sinn
- Brittany Sowell
- Jeff Stahl
- Scott Stiles
- Stacy Sullivan
- John Taylor
- Matt Toledo
- Bryan Tosi
- Darrell Tucci
- Craig Turner
- Casey (Miller) U’Ren
- Leslie Usow
- Gail Vasquez
- Levi Vincent
- John White
- Bruce Whitman
- Randy Wiemer
- Micaela Wilkey
- Madeline Zuckerman
- Charly Zukow and John Ferrara
- Judy Zulfiqar
"Champions" of the Fourth Estate
Donation of at least $5,000.
Benefits:
- Provides the stipend for a summer newsroom intern.
- A table to the annual Hall of Fame luncheon with preferred seating
- Ongoing recognition in marketing and promotion materials
- Ongoing recognition on CVJF website
- Invitation to at least four donor-exclusive events a year.
Renews annually.
"Guardians" of the Fourth Estate
Donation of at least $2,500.
Benefits:
- Six tickets to the annual Hall of Fame luncheon with preferred seating.
- Ongoing recognition in marketing and promotion materials.
- Ongoing recognition on CVJF website.
- Invitation to at least four donor-exclusive events a year.
Renews annually.
"Defenders" of the Fourth Estate
Donation of at least $1,000.
Benefits:
- Two tickets to the annual Hall of Fame luncheon.
- Ongoing recognition in marketing and promotion materials.
- Ongoing recognition on CVJF website.
- Invitation to at least two donor-exclusive events a year.
Renews annually.
"Supporters" of the Fourth Estate
Donation of at least $500.
Benefits:
- Ongoing recognition on CVJF website.
- Invitation to at least one donor-exclusive event a year.
Renews annually.
"Protectors" of the Fourth Estate
Donation of at least $50
- Donors may also designate a journalist they want to sponsor.
Renews annually.