Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication is establishing the Knight Center for the Future of News, fueled by a substantial $14.5 million investment. This funding comprises a $10.5 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and an additional $4 million contribution from ASU itself. The center will function as a national hub, tackling critical challenges within the journalism field.
These challenges include the crucial task of rebuilding public trust in journalism, ensuring the sustainability of local media outlets, and pioneering new and engaging storytelling techniques. This initiative marks the largest single donation in the Cronkite School's history, forming a key part of the university's Changing Futures campaign.
ASU President Michael Crow highlighted the center's significance to journalism's role in supporting democracy, stating, “Collaborating with Knight Foundation to advance a new era of exceptional journalism is imperative.” Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, Knight Foundation president and CEO, acknowledged the dynamic shifts in the local news environment, emphasizing ASU's leading role in journalism research and collaboration. “Local news is rapidly evolving, with innovative business models emerging across the country,” Wadsworth noted. “ASU and the Cronkite School have long been leaders in research and collaboration in this space, making them an ideal partner to help shape the future of the industry and to host this hub for information, connection and shared insight.”
The Knight Center will encompass three distinct labs and an innovation hub, all strategically located at the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix. Its launch is slated for July 1. Julia Wallace, the Frank Russell Chair in the Business of Journalism, will initially lead the center as launch director, with a national search underway to appoint a permanent executive director.
Cronkite School Dean Battinto Batts underscored the center's vital role in supporting evolving journalistic practices, encompassing individual creators cultivating their own audiences. The Knight Foundation's long-standing support for the Cronkite School, spanning over 30 years, was also highlighted. Lindsay Walker, an executive director of development at the ASU Foundation, stated, “Knight Foundation’s transformational commitment to establish the Knight Center for the Future of News is a testament to their belief in the fundamental role journalism plays in ensuring engaged communities and a vibrant democracy.”