Student newsrooms at 10 HBCUs will receive a cash injection

Student newsrooms at ten HBCUs will receive nearly $200,000 in additional funding after completing the inaugural Newsroom Innovation Challenge through Howard University’s Center for Journalism and Democracy. The program awards are intended to enhance newsroom technology, business operations, audience engagement and reporting in various newsrooms on campus, in addition to to assist students working in those newsrooms grow to be investigative journalists.

As Nikole Hannah-Jones, founding father of the Center for Journalism and Democracy and Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University’s Cathy Hughes School of Communication, says: – wrote within the press release“HBCU student newsrooms are brimming with talent, but often lack the resources necessary to ensure students have access to the cutting-edge technology and operational support available to so many of their colleagues at predominantly white institutions.” Hannah-Jones said. “This scholarship program aims to level the playing field by modernizing student newsrooms and paying scholarships to student journalists. Investments in the talent and ambition of aspiring journalists will fundamentally transform these newsrooms.”

Institutions and grantees receiving funding include: The Hilltop and HU News Service, each programs of Howard University, Morgan State University, University of the District of Columbia, Morehouse College, Florida A&M University, North Carolina A&T University, North Carolina Central University, Savannah State University and Texas Southern University. Packages will range from $4,000 to $29,000 and will also include a one-time technology prize. In addition to those funds, newsrooms will receive funding for 2 years to pay certain editorial staff and funding to rent contributing authors, to whom they will have the option to reapply for funding for five years.

The program was initially open to nine members of the Center for Journalism and Democracy’s nine HBCU cohort schools, who were invited to use in fall 2023 by sharing their vision and goals for what they’d do with the funds awarded. The grant winners were announced at the top of April.

Hannah-Jones sees the fund as a part of her broader vision for the university’s journalism center, saying: “The Newsroom Innovation Challenge is part of the vision I had when I founded the Center two years ago and I’m very excited to finally see these resources come to fruition.” where they’re very much needed. By investing in our HBUCs, we’re investing in ensuring that the multiracial press covers our multiracial democracy.”

Institutions receiving funds are thrilled to receive significant financial support, said Milton Kent, professor of practice at Morgan State University and advisor to the varsity’s student newspaper. “We are extremely grateful for the allocation of these funds. This will have a significant impact on our ability to provide news and information to our readers,” Kent said. “I can say that the Ombudsman has lost talented journalists because a few of our students cannot afford to work within the newsroom without pay, in order that is big.