Groups say philanthropists trying to boost local news shouldn't leave minorities behind
Organizations representing minority journalists say they're worried that a recently-announced $500 million initiative designed to boost local news would leave them behind
NEW YORK — Some organizations representing minority journalists say they're worried that outlets reporting on their communities will be left behind in a recently-announced $500 million initiative aimed at boosting the struggling local news industry.
They urged that Press Forward Initiative, a group of 20 funders led by the Knight and MacArthur Foundations, to more explicitly commit to funding these outlets, particularly those run by minorities.
“They're sort of skirting around it,” said Martin Reynolds, co-executive director of the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, on Tuesday.
There was no immediate comment from the funders. In announcing the $500 million pledge two weeks ago, the funders said they wanted to “move resources to newsrooms and organizations that are improving diversity of experience and thought,” as well as into underserved communities.
Reynolds pointed to research showing that philanthropists tended to favor organizations run by whites for funding, more than minorities, and are more apt to put restrictions on the use of grants given to non-whites.
He said he's also concerned that the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June striking down affirmative action in college admissions will make funders less willing to make racial equity a priority in decisions about where to spend.
A recent survey by the National Trust for Local News found that 53% of leaders at community media outlets that serve specific racial or ethnic communities said their organizations were likely to go out of business within five years based on how things
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