MIAMI — Eric Newton, who has directed the journalism program for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation since June 2001, has been named Vice President/Journalism Program.  He will report directly to Knight Foundation President Alberto Ibargüen.   

Newton joins Mike Maidenberg, Vice President/Communities Program, and Paula L. Ellis, Vice President/National and New Programs, as heads of Knight’s three grant-making programs.

As director of journalism initiatives at Knight, Newton has overseen the foundation’s investments to advance excellence in journalism and freedom of expression. The program supports the training and education of journalists, global press freedom and freedom of information, news and newsroom diversity, and new media and news in the public interest. 

“Eric exemplifies the kind of activist philanthropy we seek to encourage in all of our programs,” said Ibargüen. “He, Mike and Paula understand the importance of seeking opportunity at every turn in order to make investments to transform the field of journalism and the Knight communities.”  

Newton was the founding managing editor of the Newseum, where he created and coordinated the content for the first museum of news. He was the former managing editor of the Oakland Tribune under the ownership of Bob and Nancy Maynard, when the newspaper won numerous journalism awards, including a Pulitzer Prize. 

Newton has edited many books including News in a New America and the upcoming News, Improved.  He is a four-time Pulitzer Prize juror. He is the founding president of the First Amendment Project, a nonprofit law firm representing citizens seeking access to government records.

Newton, Maidenberg and Ellis join Ibargüen, Vice President/Chief Financial Officer Juan J. Martinez, Vice President/Chief Administrative Officer Belinda Turner Lawrence and Vice President/Communications and Secretary Larry Meyer in forming an Executive Committee that will direct the work of the foundation.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation promotes journalism excellence worldwide and invests in the vitality of U.S. communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. For more, visit www.knightfdn.org.