Photo: The Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla.
MIAMI, FL (Dec. 7, 2009) – Scholarships for a diverse group of talented journalists will be offered by the nation’s leading news trainer, The Poynter Institute, in partnership with six journalism groups under a new grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Under the $170,000 grant, Poynter will receive $50,000. The six groups each will get $20,000. They are: the National Association of Black Journalists; the National Association of Hispanic Journalists; the Native American Journalists Association; the Asian American Journalists Association; the Journalism and Women Symposium, and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.
The grants will fund scholarships to Poynter programs for more than 100 journalists.
Karen B. Dunlap, president of Poynter, said shrinking American newsrooms are becoming less diverse.
“I see this grant as a stimulus to keep good journalists in the news business,” said Dunlap. “To survive and thrive, these journalists and media leaders need continued grounding in journalistic craft and values and new multi-media and entrepreneurial skills.”
Knight-Poynter Fellows will receive training through News University, at regional seminars and through visits to Poynter’s headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation advances journalism in the digital age and invests in the vitality of communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. Since 1950, the foundation has granted more than $400 million to advance quality journalism and freedom of expression. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org
About Poynter
Serving journalism and citizens in the interest of democracy, Poynter was founded in 1975 in St. Petersburg, Fla. It is one of the nation’s top schools for professional journalists, future journalists, journalism educators and students. Poynter offers training throughout the year in the areas of online and multimedia, leadership and management, reporting, writing and editing, TV and radio, ethics and diversity, journalism education and visual journalism. Poynter’s News University (www.newsu.org) offers newsroom training to journalists and journalism students through interactive e-learning modules and links to other journalism education and training opportunities. Poynter.org, the Institute’s Web site, is a daily destination for news and information about the media industry.
Media Contacts:
- Marc Fest, Knight Foundation, 305-908-2677, [email protected];
- Jessica Blais Sandler, The Poynter Institute, 727-821-9494, ext. 34707, [email protected]