Michael Goldberg covers the Mississippi Legislature for The Associated Press, concentrating on poverty and inequality. Before joining the AP, Goldberg covered state government for the Washington State Wire news site, and health care policy for State of Reform, a site devoted to policy journalism. He has reported on the economic impacts of the pandemic, Medicaid expansion and the 2020 election cycle, and his work offered a window into the inner workings of political institutions through the stories of individuals, detailing the politics of public broadband implementation and economic dislocation in rural Washington. Goldberg holds a master’s degree in specialized journalism from the University of Southern California, where he reported on topics at the intersection of politics, culture and labor for Annenberg Media.
Beat: Mississippi statehouse
These journalists have a passion for breaking news and state politics and policy to cover state government. Reporting to a field news editor with a dotted line to the state government editor, they seek to consistently break news and show the impact that policy decisions have on the lives of citizens. They’re self-starters who are comfortable with data sets and freedom of information requests, and also with moving swiftly among topics such as technology, elections, voting laws, inequality, health care, cryptocurrency, education and law enforcement. They know how to find a story at the local level but are comfortable writing it for a broad audience in ways that resonate in a state or community, or around the world. They work in multiple media formats, and have a demonstrated track record of inclusive storytelling. They must have the ability and willingness to work any shift, including at night and on weekends, or as coverage demands, as The AP is a 24/7 operation.