Collaborating with journalists, researchers and the survivor community to advance more empathetic, ethical and impactful reporting.
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Eric Marsh Sr. named director of The Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting, succeeding founder Jim MacMillan
The Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting (PCGVR) today announced that Eric Marsh Sr. has been named Director of the organization, succeeding founder and outgoing Director Jim MacMillan. The leadership transition, which has been underway for more than a year, takes effect this Friday, May 1, 2026.
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Harmful reporting is common; not evenly distributed: New study led by PCGVR research director
Philadelphia has seen encouraging signs of progress in reducing gun violence. But even as incidents decline, researchers say another factor deserves attention: how the news media covers those shootings and whether certain forms of reporting can cause harm to the communities most affected.
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Oronde McClain participates in grand rounds lecture
Dr. Adeiyewunmi (Ade) Osinubi invited Oronde to speak during her grand rounds presentation at Penn Medicin last month on the longterm health impacts of firearm violence.
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The reporter-driven national newsletter from AGVR is coming your way next
For nearly six years, the PCGVR newsletter has explored gun violence, prevention, and the role of the media, with an added focus on what’s happening here in Philadelphia and our activities at the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting. Now, we’re taking the next step.
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PCGVR goes global with new coalition
Director of Research Dr. Jessica Beard and the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting have been invited and have signed on as partners in the new Global Coalition for WHO Action on Firearm Violence, a new movement to prevent firearm harm through the power of public health. Visit: whoaction.org
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Eric Marsh, Sr. joins community conversation
PCGVR Director of Operations Eric Marsh, Sr., at top right, joined a panel of experts in Philadelphia recently for Community Conversations: Public Safety, Public Voice, the latest event in a citywide series hosted by Every Voice Every Vote.
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Billy Penn & WHYY: priceless partners with PCGVR
PCGVR Survivor Connection Director Oronde McClain was recognized with the Billies Award for Inspiration from our friends and partners at Billy Penn at WHYY.
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PCGVR particiaptes in systems symposium
PCGVR directors Oronde McClain, Dr. Jessica Beard and Eric Marsh. Sr., were on hand last Friday for a symposium on how health systems are addressing gun violence in Philadelphia: Health Systems in Action: Our Role in Gun Violence Response and Prevention.
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New study from PCGVR collaborative
Most community firearm violence clips sampled from Philadelphia TV news stations during 2021 contained harmful content (99.7 %) and most harmful content scores were similar, according to new research from PCGVR’s multidisciplinary research collaborative.
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RESOURCES FOR ACTION
PCGVR RESEARCH
Our center facilitates a multidisciplinary research collaborative which informs our work and has published four studies to date on gun violence, prevention and the role of the media.
MORE INFOREPORTING TOOLKIT
By changing the way gun violence is covered, reporters can take an active role in minimizing harm to injured people, communities, and society—and even make an important contribution toward preventing gun violence.
MORE INFOSURVIVOR CONNECTION
Journalists are invited to access this directory of local community experts who feel willing and prepared to share their stories. Each community participant has taken part in our introductory workshop on trauma, media literacy and public health responses to gun violence.
MORE INFOREPORTING COMMUNITY
AGVR helps reporters tell more nuanced, solutions-forward stories about gun violence in hopes of minimizing harm to survivors while advancing public health-informed, trauma-aware and community-centered journalism.
MORE INFOIMPACT.PCGVR.ORG
Meet the founders, staff, and stakeholders who came together to drive our activities and impact, and learn how our organization became the national thought leader on gun violence prevention and the role of the media.
MORE INFOTHE SECOND TRAUMA
This 25-minute documentary shows the effects of episodic gun violence reporting on survivors and co-victims and offers solutions on how we can do better to shift the narrative to a public health focus and give power back to the community.
MORE INFOKNOWLEDGE IN PRACTICE
REAL TALK
Association of Gun Violence Reporters and Black Alder Labs, host this discussion: Covering Underserved Communities with Care and Accuracy.
WATCHSPECIAL REPORT
Our friends at WHYY’s Billy Penn took part in our recent national conference and followed up with this two-part deep dive into our activities, people and impact.
READDISCUSSING IMPACT
We asked some of our staffers, key stakeholders and favorite people to talk about our impact as our five-year anniversary was approaching: We are PCGVR.
WATCHDOCUMENTARY
Survivor Dashawn Walker tells his own story in “Unheard,” a short film co-produced with filmmaker Jessica Griffin for our Credible Messenger Reporting Project
WATCHYEAR IN REVIEW
PCGVR expanded its staff and services, developed new tools and resources, published original research, and deepened partnerships across the country in 2025.
REFLECTCONFERENCE
Nearly 120 journalists, researchers, prevention professionals and experts from the survivor community came to Philadelphia for our national conference.
EXPLOREFELLOWSHIP
We are honored and excited to report that PCGVR Director of Operations Eric Marsh, Sr., has been named among the 2026 Sulzberger Fellows at the Columbia Journalism School.
READWEBINAR
Pa. Lt. Gov. Austin Davis joined the PCGVR team to discuss best practices for journalists covering gun violence to advance more empathetic, ethical and impactful reporting.
WATCHWITH GRATITUDE
The work of Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting has been shaped by survivors, journalists, researchers, educators, community leaders, funders, and partners who believed this work could help change how gun violence is understood and addressed.
FOR FUNDING SUPPORT
Stoneleigh Foundation • People’s Media Fund • Spring Point Partners • HFGF • Knight Foundation • Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri • William Penn Foundation • Lenfest Institute for Journalism • Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund • Fund for a Safer Future • California Wellness Foundation • Philadelphia Office of Violence Prevention • Alfred and Mary Douty Foundation • Barra Foundation Director’s Grant Program • National Institutes of Health
FOR SUPPORT IN KIND
Action Tank • AH Datalytics • Center for Just Journalism • Fels Lab at the University of Pennsylvania • Global Center for Journalism and Trauma • Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists • Resolve Philly • Scattergood Foundation • WHYY News
FOR STRATEGIC, COMMUNITY AND EVENT PARTNERSHIPS
5 Shorts Project • American University School of Communication • Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania • Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University • Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication • Association of Health Care Journalists • Barnard College • Bedo Productions • Berkeley Media Studies Group • BG Coaching & Consulting • Billy Penn • Center for American Progress • Center for Anti-Racism at Temple University • Center for Gun Violence Solutions at Johns Hopkins University • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • College of Communication and Media at Montclair State University • Columbia Journalism Review • Common Justice • Community College of Philadelphia • Duke University • FrameWorks Institute • Full Frame Initiative • Guns & America, WAMU • Hope Symposium on Gun Violence Prevention • Institute for Storycraft and Information Gathering at Tufts University • Investigative Reporters and Editors Conference • Kensington Voice • Klein News Innovation Camp • Kouvenda Media • Kriston Jae Bethel Photography • Law and Justice Journalism Project • Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting at Temple University • Mental Health Success Boost • Mothers in Charge • National Association of Black Journalists, Philadelphia Chapter • National Press Club Journalism Institute • National Press Foundation • National Research Conference on the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms • NBC10 Philadelphia • Need in Deed • New York Amsterdam News • Online News Association • Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency • Philadelphia Anti-Drug/Anti-Violence Network • Philadelphia City Council • Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine • Philadelphia Obituary Project • Philly Truce • Pickup Communications • Pink Lapel • Poynter Institute • Radio Television Digital News Association • Revive Radio • Schemel Forum at the University of Scranton • School of Global Journalism and Communication at Morgan State University • Seeking Solutions: Gun Violence in Missouri • Spacious • Student Vanguard at Community College of Philadelphia • Sulzberger Executive Leadership Program at Columbia Journalism School • Swarthmore College • The Better Lab • The Guardian: Guns and Lies • The Trace & Up the Block • Thomas Jefferson University • Transforming Narratives of Gun Violence Initiative at Harvard Radcliffe Institute • University of Missouri School of Journalism • University of Missouri Society of Professional Journalists • Washington and Lee University • Witty Gritty • Young Chances Foundation
FOR COLLABORATION ON RESEARCH
Iman N. Afif • Jessica H. Beard • Elizabeth Dauer • Evan L. Eschliman • Sara F. Jacoby • Jim MacMillan • Jennifer Midberry • Christopher N. Morrison • Tyrone Muns • Kallie Palm • Laura Partain • Raha Raissian • Leah Roberts • Shannon Trombley • Tia Walker • Anita Wamakima • Siena Wanders
Thank you for helping make this work possible.