ONA22 kicks off next Wednesday in Los Angeles. I attended my first Online News Association conference in 2004. I had just been hired as executive editor of washingtonpost.com and was eager to learn more about this new organization that was getting some good buzz. Little did I know how much of a part of my life and […]
Initiatives utilizing the Citizens Agenda, reporter training, fighting misinformation made a big difference in a challenging election year for local news Imagine being a local reporter covering elections in 2020. Your news organization is probably struggling to cover the pandemic, racial justice protests, and every local election measure and candidate while also losing ad revenues. […]
For-profit publishers solicit more grants and donors, while nonprofits look for more earned revenues; DEI-led startups get funding and support 2020 was a very bad year for local businesses in America during the COVID-19 pandemic. By July, more than 420,000 small businesses across the country had closed permanently, according to Stephen Hamilton, an assistant professor […]
Successful cities will find new ways to design spaces everyone can access, Knight Public Spaces Fellows say The COVID-19 pandemic has upended basic assumptions that have long anchored just about every facet of society, from home and family to work and politics. It’s also brought into question the balance between private and public space, and the […]
During the pandemic, local news publishers and journalists have become essential sources of trusted information The horrific spread of the novel coronavirus across America has prompted an outpouring of questions from confused citizens in communities who need answers. What will happen to the most vulnerable among us? Where can I get food? How many hospitalizations […]
As the local news marketplace transforms, these new ways of doing business could take hold next year and beyond Predictions are a tricky business, but there is one sure thing for 2020: local news publishers cannot depend on the old ways of doing business. The time for chain newspapers wielding a monopoly in communities is […]
Here’s who is inspiring us with their innovation, their drive and their dedication to serving local communities Despite the struggles of legacy media business models, 2019 was also a year that saw great progress in transforming and reframing the narrative around local news in our country. This alphabetical round-up of 14 inspirational local news leaders […]
Knight Foundation asked four leading scholars and community leaders to consider this question: “What is the most important trend that will transform how Americans think about community over the next decade?” Ali Noorani, Executive Director, the National Immigration Forum, shares insights below. Click here to download and view all essays. Unprecedented global migration, how it […]
These pieces highlight the best of collaborative journalism, community engagement and national-local partnerships. Many of the publications listed in this round-up are participating in NewsMatch, an annual fundraising drive that supports nonprofit news by matching your donations! Find your favorite news organization and give today. This selection of 13 local stories that made a difference […]
Last week over 150 people gathered at New York Public Library to participate in the NetGain conference, an initiative supported by five foundations (Ford, MacArthur, Knight, Open Society Foundations, and Mozilla) to explore the challenges and opportunities of the digital age. Foundation presidents as well as civic and industry leaders gathered to discuss the opportunities […]
As a national foundation with deep local roots in 26 Knight communities, we look to learn from the best ideas around the country. We have seen across our cities the power of breaking bread. Sharing a meal can break down barriers and bring together diverse people to share their cultures. In our communities, we have […]
Several funding opportunities are open in March and April 2017 at Knight Foundation. We look for ideas that align with our mission of supporting informed and engaged communities, and embrace those that stretch the definition of what that means. Knight Community Information Lab. This opportunity is specifically for community and place-based foundations that want to […]
Newspaper publishers John S. and James L. Knight believed that informed and engaged communities are essential to a healthy democracy. Knight Foundation has lived that belief for decades as a leading supporter of journalism. As the industry has evolved, so has our approach, and we’ve expanded our support over the last 10 years to include […]
In an era of virtual reality, artificial intelligence and ever-evolving media platforms, the biggest lesson for the future of journalism is that it’s time to get back to basics. Dial up Journalism 101. Ask better questions. Listen—are you ready for this—70 percent of the time. These aren’t the musings of Luddites but strategies for news […]
Art critic JJ Charlesworth recently shared a sentiment that caught my attention, one I believe is important to any artist who works in and for their community: “If art’s engagement with society is to mean something credible, it’s time to have a conversation – to speak, and to listen.” He was commenting on what […]